MuTT
by Lyson
Summary: /Original Reviews 204/ On his first day at a new school in America Light Yagami's perfect school record is ruined. All thanks to a group of delinquents who had the nerve to call him a FREAK! Honestly, him...a freak? As if. Well, he was sure he hated their guts...as it turns out...not so much... AU/Please read Authors Notes.
1. Easy Target

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note or the characters.

Warnings: Profanity, suggestive content

AN: This story was inspired by the Blink 182 song MuTT a few years back when I started it and it continues to be.

**NB: Please refer to my profile for explanation to re-uploading and future uploading of old and new stories. **

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Chapter One

**(IF ANYONE HAS THE ORIGINAL CHAPTER TITLES PLEASE MESSAGE THEM TO ME)**

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The wind was not over powering, but was blowing strong enough to upset the perfectly set brown locks. Still they swayed quite nicely, the hair set upon this boy's head could never look unsightly, since they had a natural ability to fall in to place perfectly, much like the boy who wore the brown silken hair.

Light Yagami, in his perfectly pressed grey school uniform pants, white shirt to match with a blue tie, a black blazer hanging passed his slender waist and his black shoes shined to perfection, walked along a suburban street. Rows and rows of houses that all looked the same but in different colors, some with small fences or extensions and well-kept gardens, while others just tarred over the grass. There were expensive sports cars or classic German luxury vehicles but almost each and every driveway had a station wagon or family SUV as a standard vehicle, whether it stood alone or alongside the more personal cars.

In the morning time, families were all heading to the cars, front doors being locked, mothers and fathers and children, bags and lunch boxes and noise, yes, lots of noise on these streets. They glanced at him, he was a foreigner, new to the street, but being as attractive as he was, he knew they stared for that reason and not because he was Asian, hell, America had enough Asian's to go around, why would he stand out?

Because he lived in a suburban area with a majority of middle to upper class Caucasian people?

When a youthful looking mother, with a small boy in tow and her husband, raised a hand and smiled when she waved, Light flashed a polite and eye catching smile, she only smiled wider and the husband acknowledged him too.

Yes, he knew it had nothing to do with him being statistically incorrect, America was a place that thrived and being as intelligent as he was, he was well educated and very good with English, he had perfected it when he still lived in Japan just a month or so ago, now you could barely hear the underlying Japanese dialect in his pronunciation, he knew he's do well.

He was proud, he always was. And arrogant, definitely arrogant.

His father had been given citizenship in the states when he received an honor in Japan and was then asked to join the FBI, Light hadn't thought much of it, but his mother and sister had been so excited, it was the USA after all, the land of dreams and fame.

And extremely hot weather.

The blazer would become a pain in this heat, but in the way he was fashioned, walking to school was just what he did, it was healthy to walk a few Kilometers and he did appreciate his health, that's why his skin looked so good, unblemished and no acne, although with the sun beating down on him like this he might just have to start considering wearing sun block to avoid damaging his skin.

An image of him with a white cream on his face made him skin prickle uncomfortably and he blinked languidly and sighed, he'd have to get used to it, or find a quicker but still healthy means of getting to school, which he understood was not too far away, 12 blocks-?

Light was thrown slightly when something whizzed past him and he stopped walking, the whirring sound of bicycles continued as they zipped by him. He watched them go on down the flat tarred road, barely glancing back at him, laughing, shouting the conversations across their distances and one of them jumping onto the pavement and scaring a mail man, who cursed after him, only to be mocked by a laugh.

In all of that, Light noticed they wore the same uniform as him, without the blazer though, he'd thought it was compulsory? He started to walk again, hearing his shoes tapping on the sidewalk until cars one by one and mechanically started driving by, exiting the street and off to their day jobs. He's father had left much earlier, here the schools started at 9 and most jobs as well and Light, being an early riser, had been ready just after his father had left at 7, so he had resigned himself to doing nothing, which was ridiculous for him, until it was 8.

Glancing at his watch, he noticed that barely 15 minutes had passed, so school starting was still far off, he honestly couldn't wait until he had homework to do, he'd reserve it for the morning, that way he'd have something to fill his long mornings with…but then, then what would he do in the afternoons?

Light stopped his walking and sighed irritably, looking up at the bright blue sky and seeing birds and clouds, the breeze again kicking up, unsettling his hair. He'd have to adapt, maybe take up some extra activities, he enjoyed sport, so he'd sign up for about 4 different kinds, that would keep him busy, socializing was not really something he strived at, since it usually worked itself out, people like well kept, good looking people as friends.

He started walking and crossed over the road to avoid a dog playing on the grass in a yard ahead of him, he hated pets, dogs or cats or whatever and since they always seemed to like him they'd usually come over and jump on him, wagging their tails, cats would rub up against him and leave their offensive fur on his clean clothing, any other range were usually smelly or unsightly. He couldn't walk any slower so he just decided that he'd get there early and familiarize himself with the school ground. This was a semi private school from what he understood, they had wanted to send him to a private school but there was no room and apparently, unless you were of some kind of very wealthy status, even your children's incredible and amazing grades wouldn't squeeze you into a IVY League school.

Light knew it would be silly anyway, he'd always attended a regular school in Japan and it had been fine, he didn't see why now, that his father was being paid far more, he should suddenly cost them a fortune for school, he understood that schools here were different and that public school in certain places were like walking into a part of some hell, but he wasn't in that sort of predicament, this was Los Angeles, upper LA to boot and he was attending a semi private and still expensive school, with a uniform.

Since apparently uniforms weren't popular with the American kids in the public schools.

Sighing again, Light checked his watch, it was almost 8 30 now and it hadn't occurred to him to count the blocks he'd been walking, although it proved a problem since he came to the end of the suburban area and it was an intersection of sorts, not a big intersection or a busy one, he hadn't been told about this in his mother's off hand directions.

Frowning, but very slightly since he didn't like distorting his face and inviting ugly lines to his face, he glanced back the way he had come and saw nothing, cars were gone and the streets were empty. The dog played and the mail man was gone all the way off down the long road and all that was left was the occasional car at the intersection and the breeze moving his hair around on his head.

He's bag seemed heavier over his shoulder, text book all perfect, pens slotted into their respective places, poised for a good day of education, uniform brand new and perfectly kept, perfect Light Yagami, stood lost on a straight road.

All he'd passed was houses, even the turn offs lead down more straight roads of suburbia, how the hell had he missed a friggen school?

He was frustrated and since he was frustrated, he was hot and bothered and getting worse by the second. He turned back to the intersection and looked across the larger streets to the gas station, shining in the sun next to a small convenience store, a coffee shop, a few take away franchises, some strictly exclusive surf and skater clothing stores and when he stood on his toes and saw just over the small bank with trees on it, he could see a skate park, empty at that time in the morning.

He didn't feel all that deserted anymore, this place was pretty busy, not this early but he would find at least a few people who could help him.

Thinking so in his mind he spotted someone, across the street he was standing on, crossing the intersection, not looking up so see if any cars were coming as he walked, very entranced with whatever small device he held between his hands, which were oddly enough covered with gloves.

Not too interested in analyzing this boy, he started to cross over to follow him,

"Excuse me." He called, ever polite.

"Excuse me!" he said louder and walked a bit faster.

The boy, probably Light's age he noticed once the boy raised his head and turned to look at him, very blatantly looked at him and then turned and continued walking, even the device he'd been interested in was forgotten and Light knew for sure he was being avoided when the boy walked faster.

He was being avoided! Light Yagami did not get avoided, or ignored!

"Hey!" he decided to forget about etiquette, the boy was being rude so why not oblige?

Walking much faster and just before the other could turn into one of the shops once he'd crossed the road, Light reached out and grabbed his elbow. He was a bit more than surprised when the boy quickly yanked his elbow back from the light grasp and turned on Light,

"What do you want!" he yelled into Light's face, making him back step since the boy had taken a step toward him and Light never missed the recent smell of cigarettes on the boys breath.

'What the hell?' Light thought.

Straightening up, a foots distance between them since the boy stepped back again, Light looked him over, he wore a black and white striped shirt which was a size too big, hanging on his tall thin frame, he was not much taller than Light, but more built. Not that Light was skinny, just slender or thin, he hated the word skinny. He also wore jeans, worn at the knees and with rips here and there, but the leather boots that were tied over the jeans suggested this wasn't a disadvantaged boy, those boots didn't come cheap.

Nor did the gaming console Light saw held in one of the gloved hands, expensive. He obviously had not fashion sense at all, the orange goggles he wore proved that much, especially since none of this clothing complimented his dark red hair.

It took less than a minute to sum up the boy and then Light stared at him levelly, logically he should have just asked what he'd wanted to know in the beginning, where was the school?

But Light, as logical as he was, had the stubbornness to match,

"I called you and you ignored me…that was rude." He stated in his light tone and well accented English.

He could barely see from the glare reflecting off the orange goggles, but he saw the red head blink and half roll his eyes so they fell to stare at the side, where the convenience store was,

"And here I thought I wasn't obvious enough." He didn't mumble it either, it was for Light to hear.

He wanted to fume at this boy, how the hell was he being so rude, he didn't even know him?!

He huffed and Light knew he had pushed his bottom lip out, he did this when he became irritated, he didn't like being so worked up but he rarely ever was, so he didn't rectify it or try to act to eloquently.

"I wanted to ask you a question." Light pointed out dully, his expression still annoyed.

He noticed how the eyes beneath the goggles looked around at anything but Light, one hand stuffed into the blue ripped jeans and the bad posture made this boy look very uninterested and ready to walk the minute Light's attention might stray.

Also, he seemed to be looking around, as if he was looking for something, or waiting…or not wanting to see something…someone?

"What's wrong with you?" Light said, not really used to touching people, but he did so to get the boys attention, barely shoving his arm and again the boy moved away,

"Quite touching me you freak!" the red head pulled his mouth at Light.

"I'm a freak?!" the words came out before he could stop them, loud as well.

"Yeah you are! Why the fuck are you talking to me!?"

"I wanted directions!" he yelled back.

"I don't wanna talk to you!" he turned and started walking, his hand slipping out of his pocket with a crumpled cigarette and a lighter squashed in his hands.

"Why the hell not?! Out of the two of us, I'm the one who looks better so-"

The red head stopped walking and Light walked straight into his back since he'd been following and then took a few steps back and straightened himself out, clearing his throat. When he was faced with the red head again, standing up straight, he noticed the boy was noticeably taller, Light wasn't the tallest guy, but this guy was taller anyway.

"What did you wanna ask?" he spoke quieter now and Light was struck with confusion, was this guy nuts? He raised the wrinkled cigarette to his lips and lit it, his eyes could be seen still looking around and occasionally but not pleasantly, glancing over Light.

"I'm lo..." he would not say lost, "…looking for the school."

The red head turned again and walked away, Light's jaw dropped open, this guy was unbelievable.

"You can follow me…" he heard the boy call back to him, muffled around the cigarette, "…not too close though…keep your distance."

Light wanted to protest but just started following since the boy was already turning the street corner, onto another road, with more houses and he didn't want to get lost.

"Do you have a problem with me?" Light asked when he was following a few feet behind the red head.

"You're an academic, tight ass with some product in his hair and books in his bag…I don't associate with losers like you."

'Haha…hahhaaaa…hahahahaa.' Light laughed bitterly when in reality he was seething, speeding up his stride so he was walking beside the other,

"Between you and I…" he kept his tone choppy, "…you look like a loser in comparison to me." His hand was gripping the strap of his bag running across his chest.

"Oh yeah, I'll bet you think so…" he responded dully and glanced at Light walking next to him, showing his irritation by starting to cross the street.

"Hey…listen-"

"You listen…" in a swift spin he walked back into the street, meeting Light in the center of the empty road and pointing a gloved finger at him, the cigarette having never been removed from the lips was half burned away, a smoking skill obviously acquired after a long time,

"Either you shut up or you fuck off, I don't care how important you think you are, you're following me, it's not the other way around, so I suggest you just zip it. I have somewhere to be and you're keeping me up."

There was silence, Light's fair skin turned a hint of pink in his anger, but the red head seemed as casual and unaffected, his very lightly tanned skin revealed no embarrassment like Light's did.

He started walking backward from Light as he became aware of a car further down at the intersection,

"The school is straight along this street, it's got blue gates…" the partially hidden eyes glanced at Light's tie and then he let the cigarette fall from his lips, almost completely smoked and it rolled on the tar, smoke rising from the red head's mouth as he continued off the road and onto the grass embankment and then over and out of sight.

Light heard the car coming after the robots changed and he quickly walked back across the street and onto the sidewalk he'd been on. That guy had called him a loser? Because he was an academic? Light was confused but he just continued up the road, glancing back and wondering if he'd see the guy again but he didn't.

After a further 15 minutes of walking he came to the large gates, ironically enough in a large dead end, trees lining this end of the road elegantly and giving a the school a very nice touch, since through the large closed gates he could see the roof tops passed the neatly paved driveway with hedges.

All of this was nothing important as Light pales greatly, now in the shade of the pretty trees, not hot and bothered or lost…but locked out. It was almost 9 30 and apparently, much like school in Japan, being late, wasn't a good idea if you wanted to get in the gates.

"You've got to be kidding me." He mumbled, being late on his first day of school, in a new area, city, country and continent, "…damn you, I was better off lost." He thought of the red head bitterly. He walked up to the gates and pressed his thin hands to the large blue bars, looking through and seeing no one, no movement and just hearing the birds chirping away.

The silence of a school day, he was missing it, standing like a true **loser** outside and staring in.

He spun around and leaned against the gate, this was simply not funny and he wasn't pleased or impressed by it, who did that guy think he was anyway?

With this aggravated thought pounding in his head, Light walked back down the street again, crossing over to where the trees and embankment were, where he knew that the red head had disappeared to earlier, he recalled seeing a skate park over that hill.

It wasn't easy getting up the soft smooth grass with his shiny shoes on, since they were completely smooth on the bottom, but he managed it with a relative amount of grace which was in his nature.

Once on the hill he looked over and even though he didn't know what he'd been expecting, the skate park failed to impress him, that and the fact it was void of anyone, which he should have expected, kids were at school, not skating.

He was supposed to be at school.

In pure exasperation, an emotion Light was familiar with around people but not usually with regards to this particular circumstance, he crouched down and looked over the graffiti covered walls, not all that talent less at least, but he'd seen better.

He found himself smiling at that thought for no reason and then he got back up, glancing again at his watch that was perfectly fit to his thin wrist, he saw it was close to ten, he was sure there would be a way to get into the school…but it would include having to call and that would alert the entire faculty and his own family that the star student, the anticipated Japanese genius…was lost and then late.

With a final huff, Light opened the flap of his bag and dug around for his cell phone, punching in his mother's number, he dialed it and waited patiently.

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Sachiko Yagami.

Boring housewife.

That was word association for you.

Light was patient as he stood outside the large doors of the headmasters not so humble office, this school looked like more money went into the décor that anything else, but then again, it was appealing, it certainly made him want to be there. He loved the smell of stationary and air freshener, not too strong but just fresh enough, a window or two open to allow a breeze to filter through the few open doors.

Every female teacher or faculty member that walked by smiled at him, every male did so too, with half the effort, naturally they thought he was in trouble, or an enrollee…a late comer. He silently cursed and wanted to bang his head back against the fawn colored wall behind his chair, he wouldn't though. He crossed his legs over one another and glanced around him, his eyes falling on his bag in the seat beside him, he was about to reach for a text book, math, since that would have been his first period, but he stopped when the doors opened.

His mother short and neatly dressed, sticking out sorely among these professional school types, seemed confident in her face as she walked out beside the tall lanky headmaster with his glances on his nose tidily.

She touched his arm lightly when he stood and Light did his best not to yell at the man that it had not been his fault he was late.

"I've explained everything, about how you got lost."

"…" he didn't bother to say anything, this was a lost cause.

If he was correct, which he was most likely, then he knew already the conversation as it had happened. She went ahead and laid it on thick about how they were new from another country and it would take some time for him to find his way around…and so and so forth.

The man smiled politely, Light didn't like him.

"Welcome, I'm sorry your first day hasn't started quite as promptly as we all expected but you have your entire senior year here to make an impression."

His facial muscles pained him when he stretched his pink lips across his white teeth to smile at the taller man, it was truly hard to fake this smile, again, fake smiles Light was used to, but it was never this hard.

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**Third Period**

Starting a school day in third period was new to him but he managed, walking into the class during a changeover made him seem less out of place with all of the children moving about, he had expected he'd hardly be noticed since it was freshman year for more than 100 students, so he would be saved the newbie jokes.

He found a seat midway into the class, neatly sitting down, the desks looked new and hardly vandalized at all, one or two lines made by a scissor perhaps, but the wood was in fair condition and when he placed his text book and pens in their respective places it made him smile.

The desks in this class were rows on either side of the class, all connected save for the walking isle. Students already seated inside were just glancing at him, but not making a big issue, he liked that, no one was fussing.

It seemed like he might just have a good day until a someone stood on the seat at his side and then got up onto the desk, sneakers, black ones, stepped over his books and pens and continued on just a few feet down into the row.

Light was still staring at the unhygienic dust marks left on the desk tops in the wake of the shoes, not even bothering yet to look at the vile uncouth person who did this.

When he finally did, he saw that no one seemed to notice, girls giggled as they settled in just in the row in front of him and the teacher still hadn't arrived.

He looked to the side the shoes had gone and true enough sat a boy, one foot still up, clearly flexible, it was bent so that he had his sneaker pressed against the desk and he was sitting with a single book held loosely in hand and leaning on his other leg which was stretched out underneath the desk. His uniform was neat enough, shoes were dirty and not school appropriate, his shirt was half way tucked in and his tie was loosely done, he also wore no blazer.

He was pale and his hair was a very stark black color, Light would have actually assumed it were dyed that dark black if he couldn't see how natural it looked when just seeing this boy, unfortunately for the silken black hair, it was horribly unkempt and stuck out in a horrid mess around and above this boy's head.

He was looking at the desk in very lazy thought, his eyes cast downward and half lidded too, between his pale lips and straight teeth, Light saw him chew upon a pen distractedly, it shifted and clicked as the plastic cracked with the mild force.

He didn't want to but again felt compelled to say something,

"Did you have to walk over the desk that way, it would not have killed you to ask me to let you through." he said it almost nicely, giving the boy a side long glance.

He saw the guy look at him briefly before he brought a thin boney, pale hand to take the pen from his mouth, it startled Light unnoticeably when in the most apathetic and unusually deep and smooth voice the other boy spoke to him,

"I'm sorry…does it make a difference?" he asked just as dully and insincerely, eyes not blinking or leaving Light's face.

"…" Light was so tired of not knowing how to respond, but he couldn't help it, these people were insufferable!

It seemed the dark haired boy noticed how uncomfortable Light was, with his hazel eyes wide and mouth slightly open at a loss, because he brought his sneaker down awkwardly and moved over to Light, standing as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, it had been folded and he wiggled it until it open, holding it just between his index finger and thumb before he dropped it onto the surface and halfheartedly wiped away the dust from his shoes on the desk.

Light looked up now that the boy leant beside him and he was caught in a blush when the boys face was very close to his, he could now see the dark grey color of his eyes and the slight darkness around the pale lids of his eyes.

Drugs? Sleep deprivation? Depression? Make up? All of the above?

"Is it better now?" the question was more direct.

"…hm…" Light cleared his throat and looked back at his desk, "…thank you…"

He heard the boy make a laughing sound before sitting down, right beside him, apparently not too keen on moving any time soon.

"…Are you going to sit…right here?" he didn't know if he sounded like an asshole for that rude question but since the sneaker was back up now on the seat and the thin hand had started fiddling with his pens, he had to ask.

"…yeah…I think I will." he answered in his deep voice and Light didn't look at him again,

"Is it necessary to sit so close…?" he was actually asking, since he could smell warm coffee and some sort or chocolate on this guy at their proximity.

"Is it bothering you?" he asked Light casually, not looking at him either.

"Yes." he answered shortly.

"Good, if it doesn't suit you then you can move pretty boy."

It was not as if he'd said anything all that offensive, but it seemed to strike Light as such, he was questioning his appearance because of he's latest encounters, but looking around, he did see meticulous students, he was obviously getting some kind of treatment because he was new, surely. Resigning himself to staring only ahead as the class fell into session when the teacher entered, Light decided he would endure, not moving an inch as he fell into extreme focus to take his attention off the boy beside him, who didn't look to be even remotely interested in Light.

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By the time the class was over and Light was free to go, he sat back a moment and breathed, he enjoyed quiet classes and the sounds of pens and paper, he was familiar with it and thankfully it was a univers-

His thoughts were cut short when the boy next to him sighed noisily,

"Thank fuck…" he said a bit loudly and got up, standing on his seat and then onto the desk and Light stared up at him incredulously when the tall boy deliberately stepped on his open text book, bending and squashing the pristine pages under his weight before he got off the desk end.

A moment more and Light would have exited, letting out the row of pupils, what was the point of this?

No one else followed, all waiting for him to move as he stared at the damaged pages with the sneaker print on them. The handkerchief landed on the spot and he looked up angrily to see the pale boy slip his hands into his pockets and shoot Light a sly grin as he started walking out of the class. Some people stared and then left and others laughed, he heard someone mention that he was practically asking for it, but he didn't understand it.

Was he being…bullied?

Light's mouth set in a straight lines as he drew a very pointed conclusion and answer to that thought. He got up from his desk and left everything as it was, walking along the isle, he easily caught up with the boy.

No…Light Yagami didn't get bullied.

It was his first day…in a new school and it seemed that as he quite openly threw the first punch in front of many witnesses and proceeded to connect with his target who had turned around when the class made a noise of excitement, Light didn't care for the horrible blemish it would make on his record and whether the trouble maker was worth it.

But when he got the snot kicked out of him and found himself winded and laying on his side on the classroom floor, Light quickly decided it was not worth it…and jesus, that was a hell of a kick.

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And so it begins...again...

-Lyson


	2. Degenerate

**Disclaimer: In First Chapter**

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**Chapter 2**

**(If anyone has the original chapter titles in their relevant order please message me)**

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To the very best of his knowledge and his ability, Light had always assumed himself to be a quick fighter, he'd never been in a surplus of fights to say, but he'd defended himself in a few scraps in the past. Whether it had been on the soccer field when someone was disgruntled with a play, or when Light would not too obviously but never unintentionally mock someone if he thought it was suitable.

Now however, he was on the receiving end, the bruised ego and chest from a kick that had almost literally come out of nowhere, he'd barely felt himself follow through on the punch when that leg came up and kicked him, both shoving and propelling him backward into the air briefly before he was crashing to the floor, like some classroom circus trick.

Faced with the headmaster, he stood as straight as he could even though he was hurting in his chest and on the back of his shoulder blade from where he landed in the classroom.

"Light Yagami…" the headmaster began, typically making a steeple with his hands in front of his narrow face watching Light carefully, "…I have at least 9 kids who were willing to admit that you instigated the fight and-"

Brave and true to his nature, Light raised a delicate hand to ask for silence and the man looked like he was holding a mouthful of words as he frowned at Light's gesture. He closed his eyes a moment and sighed at the older man,

"I do not deny it, nor would I even have considered denying it. It was a disagreement and I reacted very immaturely, he didn't bring out the best of me I assure you."

"I should hope not."

Hazel eyes fixed on the man,

"Please understand, that I have never in my life behaved this way, I've simply had a very bad morning-"

"If your so impressive then I will accept no excuses Mr. Yagami. Respect here is earned and that boy that you had your little spat with has none of that amongst the faculty, he most certainly raises the worst in most of us every other day…"

'Why is he here then? Such a fancy school keeps such trash?' he thought with a raised eyebrow.

"…for this reason, I sympathize, I was also informed of what he did to your text books, unnecessary but expected from him. At any rate, from tomorrow onward I'm expected you to make a difference to the standard you've set on this first day. If all goes well tomorrow, you can expect that this day will be as if…it didn't happen." he smiled, revealing a row of semi straight teeth, stained and old people like.

Light really didn't like him, he obviously conducted consequences according to what suited the school as a whole and not a student individually. He would safely assume that the degenerate he'd had his 'spat' with was of a very influential family or something and that if Light excelled as everyone knew he could, then the school would look great for that as well.

He began digressing…

"I'll return home now…thank you for understanding."

"Hm…" the headmaster hummed and smiled up at Light, "…an hour of detention will do for today."

Detention? Was that even possible? He'd never…

Biting his tongue painfully Light stood, making sure to move upward and not push the chair back,

"Yes of course…" he smiled and this time it wasn't all too convincing."

"Room 409 on the second floor of block D." was the quick response and the man turned to his coffee and lap tap in an instant.

Light exited quietly, gracefully and silently, not raising a head as he walked through the lavish main school hall and then out into the warm air to find the detention room.

* * *

Light was very irritated when he'd finally, after ages of walking, found the detention room, he'd been penalized a half hour which made it worse since he hadn't been able to **find** the damn place and was late!

Then on top of it all, the boy who had been involved in the fight with him was not even there!

Had he misunderstood that the headmaster understood what a shit stirrer that bastard had obviously been in this mess, why wasn't he summoned for this low life form of punishment?

When he'd considered asking the fat female teacher of this situation he quickly reconsidered, seeing her choice pass time, a very dull and typical covered romance novel, he quickly feared his IQ lowering if he merely got too close, even though it made no sense, the joke made him laugh, he did that often.

So he'd settled and managed to get in some reading, it had turned out mostly productive and he'd gotten the days homework done, without thinking of the fact he'd have nothing to do for all the hours that came before tomorrow, he'd enjoyed it.

He didn't even leave the woman with a parting greeting, he quickly strode out and walked along the quiet halls in peace, his uniform wasn't as clean as it had been that morning, his tie wasn't as perfect and his hair was not as neat, but Light still managed to feel good, even with the pain in his chest. Down some stairs and then down some more, he finally came into the open, talking a short cut he'd managed to memorize on his way up to that block, he quickly crossed a large distance by walking over and through some smaller buildings and arch ways, seeing the long exit driveway of the school.

He didn't actually have to use this exit, but he would be damned if he got lost looking for the actual student exit at 16:34 in the afternoon.

The road from the school was a quiet one, all the way down and along it, just trees and a small day care centre where kids must have been having their afternoon nap because the teacher sat outside reading, from what he could see through the large colorful fencing, she was reading a book on stimulating subjects for toddlers and how to keep them mentally active. The chubbiness in her face suggested maybe she was a mother in learning as well as a day care woman, or just seeing the beginning of the over weight cycle that American's suffered since she couldn't have been older than early twenties.

Statistics were so blunt and stereotypes none the better.

She looked up, he smiled and she waved and smiled, all was well with that sort of fake interest.

Finally seeing the intersection he'd had the run in at that morning, he became aware of that skate park just over the embankment he was about to pass, across the street from him. He couldn't exactly hear anything, farther down the street was busier than earlier, families buying dinners and filling up gas and driving home, the noise was significantly more, but he heard people.

Taking the off chance, he crossed the street quickly and climbed the bank steadily, coming to the top of it and looking down at the skate park, it was not so empty, different groups of kids gathered at different points, very grungy and some shirtless, boards laying in piles or rows and they talked, some still fooled around on the beams.

Finding the scene no more interesting than most skate parks he'd seen in Japan, he was about to turn when he heard a loud yelling.

"Yeeeaaahhhhh!"

Sparing a glance to the far side before leaving he saw a boy rolling up to the rail in between a set of short stairs, only to gain speed and jump with the bored beneath him, landing the centre of his bored on the smooth rail, but it didn't go as planned and with not enough thought put into the weight distribution he went reeling forward half way through.

"Wipe out!" Someone else shouted and all of the kids around the area chorused. The odd thing was when the boy impacted the ground, he looked to have at least have been slightly hurt, but he rolled it off, making exaggerated sounds of agony before someone threw at him what looked like a tennis ball, telling him to shut up and then there was more laughter.

The boy managed to stick his middle finger out before sitting up and then getting to his feet, mostly un-phased save for a quick limp, but he fell into a steady step shortly after, moving toward the area just beneath a badly maintained billboard, riddled with graffiti. He's stepped back onto his wandering board and rolled over to the group of friends. Slipping the board out from underneath him and collapsing on one of his friends purposely, not that the guy sitting on the floor minded.

Light had paid full attention to the scene because the boy who had 'wiped out' looked identical to the asshole who'd kicked him in the chest, he then went on to fall onto a blonde guy and the pale face was definitely familiar.

He knew that in someway he wanted to go down there, he just didn't know why since it wouldn't end well, he wasn't invincible and there was a lot of 'skaters' here whereas he was one 'freak'. He stood for a while longer though watching the boy from his class with mild interest, he was laughing and the group he was with were all talking and gesturing and their skateboards lay forgotten, soda cans scattered on the ground around them…

Another boy who looked exactly the same as the 'wipe out' appeared on the scene, in a jeans and black sneakers and there was a chorus of something among the friends that Light didn't catch, but everyone smiled.

"Give us a kiss!" the blonde one shouted when he came close enough and Light's jaw nearly dropped when they did in fact kiss.

From the distance he knew not whether it involved more than just lips, but it was a kiss.

Swallowing a bit thickly he sighed deeply and urged himself to leave, but the group had become animated again and Light tilted his head, shifting his bag, heavy on his tired torso, they were entertaining to watch.

The blonde stood up and so did the 'wipe out' revealing he was taller than the one that wore black sneakers. When everyone was up, a shorter boy with sharply cut and spiked platinum white hair was visible sitting on the grass beneath the sign.

It amused him as he watched the boy from his class talk, his hair shaking and sifting in its frightful disarray with every single movement he made, his lanky form seemed sturdy even though he looked so underweight in the heavy black shirt with a band logo painted across it. He watched the boy mimic playing a guitar, his thin fingers starting to move until he threw himself into an all out head bang, wildly deciding to throw his arm around as if he were striking the guitar strings in powerful chords.

Light blinked and cracked a smile when they all broke out in some sort of song, the words were profane, vulgar and didn't rhyme or make sense, but they laughed and all synced up in some way, the white haired boy yelled a random word which would make them crack up and finally blonde took up a second air guitar and the 'wipe out' shoved him into the grass during his 'solo'.

It was so random as they all burst out laughing and Light wished for a split second he were closer to see their faces, he never knew people quite so…unconcerned with their appearance and how they came across or acted around anyone.

When they settled again Light looked between the two dark haired boys, he really didn't know whether they were related from that distance but he thought it was definitely possible.

The blonde got up again and finally the short boy and they started moving toward their things, each grabbing a bag, the 'wipe out' standing on his board and turning it skillfully in the direction of everyone else, rolling along, as did the boy from his class, his board had been in the pile already. The boy with white hair opted to carry his skateboard while the blonde mounted a stunt bike and maneuvered randomly, at one point doing a turn into the half pipe and coming back up and out easily.

He remembered that morning briefly and frowned, it wasn't the same kids that he'd seen on those bikes, he knew that, these were all older than him, or the same age, but they were outstanding, he'd have remembered a boy with shoulder length blonde hair dressed in tight pants and a T shirt, even though he might have been in a uniform, he would have recognized that boy. And typically, they all wore full black, he was tempted to stereotype them but somehow knew he couldn't.

When he realized they'd be exiting not too far from where he stood, Light decided he'd get ahead down the street and be out of their way.

So he started down the bank, quickly striding, he didn't mind admitting to himself that avoiding these kids was better for his health right then, he could hear them louder as he passed the apparent exit point before they reached it, but it didn't go as planned since he hadn't realized that someone was coming up the street as well.

Walking quickly and keeping his gaze cast slightly downward he didn't notice the red head from that morning until he glanced up and the boy spared him a side glance, fully prepared to pass by Light without incident, Light contented with that as well, averted his gaze from the boy and walked on, but it was not to be.

"Hey Matty, baby…"

"Hey Matt."

"Jeevas!"

"Hey man."

Light tried not to, but he's step faltered and he wanted to turn around, it was so interesting that they **all** knew one another. Matt, the red head was Matt.

There was a lip smacking sound and Light couldn't help it, he glanced back and sure enough, 'Matt' was just leaning back from sharing a kiss greeting with the blonde, who was startlingly more outstanding at that proximity, his skin was perfect and eyes a bright blue contract to his silky blonde hair, which fell so perfectly it rivaled Light's own.

He could have made it away if he hadn't glanced back, but his class mate saw him and Light wanted to kick himself when he heard it.

"Hey pretty boy!" it was said off handed and meant to be fleeting, Light continued walking.

"You know him?"

"Yeah, saw him in class today…" the deep smooth voice half heartedly explained.

"…you know him?" the blonde spoke.

That about did it since the attention was automatically drawn to him, Matt must have nodded because there was silence and the sound of scraping shoes and wheels, the distinctive sound of the bicycle made him stop walking before the blonde circled and came to halt in front of him, putting a sneakered foot on the ground just in front of Light and steadying himself on the bike as he was still straddling it.

The blonde was far more striking when that close, his blue eyes burned into Light and a smirk spread over his thin lips, his skin was not tanned but also not pale like the boy from his class.

They were all standing around him now and Light tried to stand up straight, not bothering to look around at any of them and looking straight at the blonde who was sizing him up like he was an object of interest.

"Look how he's shoe's shine..."

They snickered at the sarcastic comment that came from one of the two Light hadn't identified yet by voice or face properly.

Matt came into sight then and stood next to the blonde's bike,

"Hey loser." he smiled and Light saw his eyes glance at the blonde who was grinning more now.

Light looked at this strange blonde boy in his extremely tight pants as he leaned on the handle bars of his bike and then his eyes trailed to the seat that was currently missing, the blondes lower back barely rested against the short stuck out pole.

He noticed where Light's eyes lingered and he shifted so he was standing and fully straddling the bike, feet on either side on the ground, one hand on the handle bars and the other touching the empty seat of the bike, taking the pole in his hand in an odd mimicry of holding something else when he watched Light,

"I like the way it feels."

The laughter left him confused and then when the blonde and Matt shared another look, Light became concerned, because they looked distinctly like they were up to something…


	3. Go

**Chapter 3**

* * *

"Do we like this guy?" the blonde asked out of nowhere and Light watched Matt glance at him and then at the blonde, there was something unsettling about Matt, something that Light actually felt intimidated by, probably because Matt didn't look threatening but you couldn't always tell just by looking at someone.

Matt stepped forward and Light was caught off guard as he was punched in his abdomen, Matt's knuckles dug into his skin. When he shoved Light backward he fell against someone who stepped away quickly and let him stumble backward. It had been a well positioned punch which left him reeling, the air was stuck painfully in his chest. He didn't fall down though, instead he bent over and wound up on his knees, faintly aware of everyone coming closer toward him again.

Light gagged once before he managed to gasp and cough, still clutching himself with an arm across his stomach, he tried to stand, his bag making him wobble because of the extra weight.

Thin fingers clutched his shoulders from behind when someone came to stand behind him and he glanced back, still not breathing fully he looked into a very light shaded grey pair of eyes, the wipe out kid grinned and him and it looked like he was about to be eaten as this boys eyes became very thin and narrowed, his boney fingers digging into Light's shoulders.

He slowed his breathing and ignored the pain in his stomach and chest, two injuries in one day was a record for him, he settled his gaze back on Matt whose mouth seemed settled in a stiff anger, he seriously had a problem with Light this bad?

The blonde tilted his head in thought and Light watched as his class boy walked up to the blonde,

"Mello, I really wanna get some twizzlers…lets go." he said quietly and the blonde, apparently Mello, turned his blue eyes to the other, their faces close and the hollow dark grey eyes seemed decided against a disappointed pair of blue.

Eventually Mello's gaze dropped to the other's chest area before he looked back to Light,

"Okay." he said in a cheery quip and had his feet back on his peddles quickly, pushing off quickly around Light's class boy and onto the road with his bike, "…lets go then." he called.

The short boy with platinum hair walked along slowly and looked at Light, he took note of the boys white eyebrows and transparent bluish eyes, he wasn't sure now whether this as fashion or an albino who dressed up his defect, because he was paper white in complexion and all of his visible hair was as well. He shot Light a very dirty look and dropped his board to the floor, starting to roll off. Matt's eyes were no longer visible from the angle at which he stood and the glare right before he went off walking on back down the road.

Light was left with looking at the back of the boy from his class, his shoulders were hunched and his hair was all over the place, a tattoo could be seen beneath the hair running onto his neck but Light couldn't make it out, it was a single picture though on the back of his neck.

He turned around to face Light and his eyes were relaxed, nothing serious about the whole thing to him aparently, he almost looked bored as his gaze drifted behind Light, who then lowered his gaze to the ground when he remembered the fingers digging into his shoulders.

The grip lessened and eventually was gone, the taller boy pushed past Light with his board under one foot and glanced back at him, he looked identical to the other waiting for him, except he looked far from relaxed and actually more like he would attack Light at first chance.

He turned away and slung his arm over the shorter boys shoulders, pushing him along as they started down the road, half rolling and walking, dressed similarly and looking alike.

On the back of the taller boys neck was a tattoo, a single letter which was clearly a 'B' and even though his hair covered it he could make out what it was and that the other boys tattoo looked similar somehow too, maybe the same tattoo? Brothers?

"Hey Near, wait up I wanna ask you something!" 'B' shouted to the other who was at the intersection already, the albino boy looked back briefly and seemed to wait as B left the shorter boy and rolled to catch up.

Light let out a long pained breath, he felt sweat on his neck and strain in his legs, he'd never felt so dizzy. He watched his class boy walk and then he turned and looked at Light, his eyes still bored, he then turned and jogged to catch up with his friends before dropping his board and jumping onto the street off the curb.

Light's knees felt like they might give out on him and he let himself slowly down to sit on the ground, while he waited, until a half hour later the streets were quiet again and the boys were gone…

* * *

**The Next Day**

Light walked into the school punctually that morning, half an hour before the school would actually be in session, uniform in perfect condition and chin held high, his hair was styled as perfectly as ever and the weather seemed to be on his side, overcast and not too windy, his shoes once again shined to perfection. His bag was hanging against his hip, hands both tucked neatly into his pockets and his tie the perfect length to suit his torso and he even wore a more noticeable but not over whelming cologne.

He was glad that the hits he had taken weren't visible underneath his clothes, so no one was any wiser about his condition and while he was hurt, he didn't walk or act like it, a determination in his mind so strong that only Light Yagami could find the cure to his piece of mind again.

Girls watched him with that look of interest he'd become accustomed too and Light managed easily to smile at them in a way he knew they found 'cute'.

True enough they blushed and giggled and he didn't let down the guys either, granting casual nods and receiving them in return. This was how his first day should have been, this is how yesterday was supposed to have been.

He found his homeroom class easily enough and took a seat at the front, comfortably and no one bothered him, everyone eventually settling and even the teacher when he finally arrived gave Light a pleasant smile and greeting, introducing him shortly to the class once they were in session.

Perfect.

Almost.

* * *

"I enjoy English literature a lot but I enjoy reading in more difficult languages." Light was saying as he exited his third morning class, in ten minutes the recess bell would sound and he would spend a pleasant lunch in the cafeteria.

The boy beside his nodded,

"I'm impressed…"

'Of course you are…' Light thought.

"I mean, I don't even speak English all that well I was raised with it." he laughed and Light obliged, humoring the joke accurately.

"What do you enjoy?"

"Sport!" the answer was quick and had excitement shining in the boys eyes instantly.

"What do you play?"

"Baseball." there was a confident nod and Light inwardly cringed, that sport didn't raise his interest.

"What does the school offer?" clean subject change.

"Oh, all kinds of stuff, you should drop by the gymnasium hall and pick up a notice of yearly events looking for new members, its on a bulletin board."

Light nodded at the idea and separated himself from the acquaintance from class, he was interesting enough to play friends with, Light knew he wouldn't find anyone especially interesting, probably not in his life time. He went by his locker and put his things away, changing the books in his bag so he wouldn't have to make a trip back there before his next class.

He then took a walk out into the open grounds and directly to the large hall he knew was for gym. Walking into one of the doors he looked around and there were large training mats and beams lined up in a specific order. Three girls were all dressed in their tight spandex and had their hair pulled back into ponytails, lining up to do various tricks and flips.

A woman was monitoring them, she wore a loose track pants and a tight training top, holding her well trained body firmly, her blonde hair pulled back into a loose ponytail as well.

"Rebecca, stop the loose noodle thing at the end, tighten up!" she yelled and it echoed around the hall, making Light walk more quietly as he watched the girl frown in exhaustion, her dismount from the beam having been unsatisfactory. Looking back toward the board he was walking to, it was against a wall near the door to the indoor pool he found as he came closer, he saw the woman glance at him and then continue what she was doing.

He saw another person enter where he had come in just as he stopped at the board, he wore loose track pants as well, a plain T shirt and had a cap on his head, his hair stuck out underneath it. He saw Light and stopped staring at the blonde trainer as he had been doing, Light stopped himself from laughing since the man was now approaching him, a pleasant bounce in his step.

"Hi, I'm coach Matsuda." he introduced himself to Light with a bright smile, this man wasn't too old Light could tell and he took the hand offered congenially,

"Light Yagami, nice to meet you, coach." he said in his best student voice and the smile to match.

"Ah, I heard about you, something about a tennis champ and a real brainiac huh." he said casually.

Light was glad no one amongst the teachers were talking about his incidents the day before and he nodded,

"Yeah, I like to achieve and excel." Light responded confidently.

Matsuda was nodding at him,

"That's good, although all that education probably doesn't affect your standing with the ladies huh, a smart kid with looks like yours…" he was teasing but Light saw how the man's eyes darted to the blonde woman.

Light turned his head to look at her, she was a bombshell, if he were to use such a trite term to describe her, fit and sexy, no make up and she still looked good.

"Coach…" Light said in a teasing voice of his own, sensing this man had no airs about him that required stiffness, "…you seem to have trouble taking your eyes off of her." he raised his eyebrow and was surprised at the blatant blush on the older man's face as he looked away and everywhere he could beside the woman and Light.

He wondered if he shouldn't have commented before the older man resigned himself to a dull and rather pathetic sigh as he looked at Light, taking his cap off and revealing a mop of black hair,

"Yeah, she started here at the beginning of last year and since then I just cant work up the nerve to approach her, her name is…" he stopped himself, he knew he shouldn't reveal her name to a student in casual conversation, "…well, she's known as Weddy to all the students, she doesn't like the term Miss." he seemed to be in a dreamy state as he glanced at her again.

Light was watching him but he could hear the woman shouting at the girls, he smiled but didn't comment, he didn't want to say anything that would give this man the confidence to approach her. Firstly, she was way out of his league as far as Light was concerned and secondly Light didn't think advising this man to pursue a relationship with a colleague was a good idea.

He looked back to the board and looked over the available sports on the curriculum, there was training for soccer tryouts the following week.

"You looking to get into a sport?" Matsudo sounded like he'd gotten back on track and when Light memorized the date he looked back at the coach who had his cap back on and a bright smile on his face,

"Yes, I'm interested in the soccer tryouts next week."

"Great! I'll see you then Light, I'm the coach for the soccer team." he announced happily. "These three girls…" he gestured to the gymnasts, "…they're going to the national games in a month, so they're on a very tight schedule, I'll be training the soccer team for the national games, but that's half way through the year." he informed.

Light nodded, glancing at the very well trained girls, obviously painfully focused on bringing home the gold to their city and school, honor was a necessity in most peoples lives.

"Great, coach Matsuda, I'll see you Friday afternoon next week then?"

"Yip." he said and gave a small salute to Light, "…they've said your gonna be a real winner here, they're expecting you to be at the top of your game in everything, like you were back in Japan."

This revealed he knew more about Light than he'd let on, so Light, interested in hearing more, raised his eyebrows and smiled,

"Well, after my first exam I'll have taken the top spot in the academic department."

Matsuda nodded but was frowning and this annoyed Light,

"You don't think so? Do I sound over confident?" he laughed as if he felt silly.

"No, no, I don't doubt your smarts, hell I've seen your test scores, it's just that, we have a kid who is at the top and he's never been beat…" he paused and Light became irritated with it,

"So, wouldn't it be good for me to challenge another student?"

"…there's a lot riding on you." he informed quietly, as if it were a secret, "…you see, this kid is incredible, he's like a machine when it comes to exam's, perfect scores and all that stuff…"

Light figured it was an exaggeration, even he had never always received perfect scores, but he waited for further explanation.

Matsuda smiled at him and patted his shoulder heartily,

"…but you, your gonna bring the school notable attention when you take part in all the big stuff like debates and everything, that's what we need, someone who co-operates."

"I don't understand, are you saying this other student doesn't care about the achievements the school offers?" not that he cared really.

"…yeah…you could say that." he said vaguely.

Why was this a big deal?

Who cared if the other guy was smart but not committed or competitive, how could there be no other student who had come close?

"Is that all, well-"

"I guess we're hoping you'll upstage him and then he'll finally get the bigger picture…I mean, the kid's a genius."

Light failed to take this man seriously, honestly, would you?

"I see, I've never been called a genius though, so maybe I should aim higher." he played it off with a smile and he heard the bell ringing in the distance, "…I should get going, its lunch time, I'll see you Coach." he quickly made his way passed the man who waved him off pleasantly and back out into the open.

Looking over the school gardens he saw a black Mercedes leaving the ground and another expensive car coming up along the driveway, these people and their cars were ridiculous, he didn't understand it, although he wouldn't have minded having a sports car.

With a shrug Light made his way inside and to the large cafeteria buzzing with laughter and conversation, he glanced around seeking the one person he'd failed to see all day, thankfully, and still there was no sign.

Finding a group of people Light had been talking to that morning in his homeroom glass, he sat down with the lunch he'd fetched and they gladly let him join them, filling him in on the conversation, however trivial, it was just how Japan had been.

* * *

At the second recess of the day, which would be shorter than the first, Light dumped his book bag into his locker and grabbed the two single text books that he'd need for his final classes. He shut the door and it echoed in the empty halls, people had moved outside for the second recess which Light had found interesting.

He was about to head outside too when he decided he'd rather make a quick bathroom stop and relieve himself and neaten his uniform in the mirrors he'd surely find there.

It was a different hall, he had learned many shortcuts in that day, which he took to get to the bathrooms, there were more than 6 in the entire school from what he understood and you had to always find the one nearest to you.

He walked inside and stopped with his hand still rested against the door, keeping it from noisily swinging closed and alerting the person in the bathroom that someone was there.

Light was grateful he was so quiet in his movements because he hadn't interrupted the voice he so clearly recognized.

"…hm…I have plans but there is nothing important…" there was a sigh, "…he's asked me to be at the museum but I don't care to go." it was said in irritation.

He was inside a toilet stall and Light knew he must have been on a cell phone talking with someone, he remained still and quiet, blatantly eavesdropping, he also noticed how sophisticated this fluent speech seemed, he'd not heard more than a short sentence from this boy before now.

There was a laugh and it made the hair on Light's arms and back of his neck stand, his skin tingled at the deep and pleasant sound.

"…yes I know, of course I'm aware of that…I'll see you this afternoon then?" silence followed and he heard some shifting, shuffling, "…Mello wants me to do that as soon as possible but I've told him I'll deal with it when I have time…he was fine, he didn't mind…you can tell him later…" another laugh and Light noticed too late that the people walking down the hall outside sounded far louder inside since he held the door open.

Silence fell and then Light swallowed nervously, but chose to do as he had planned, stepping inside and letting the door close noisily he moved toward the marble surface and placed his books down, looking into the mirror at the underneath of the stall doors.

No Feet.

He frowned.

"…alright, well then I'll see you shortly…" he didn't seem to have noticed anything or if he did he simply didn't care. There was a small sound of a click and then Light watched under the door as those familiar black sneakers came into view, one by one.

Had he been standing on the toilet, but his head would have been visible. Crouching obviously, but why? Light blinked and looked directly into his own reflection as he heard the door opening and could see the door open in the reflection via his indirect sight.

There was no pause in the other boys steps as he came to stand to Light's side, not close or even offensively, just casually. Light was busy with his hair when he dared to glance at the boy in the mirror and he found that he was being looked at directly through the mirror.

He paused his movements and lowered his hands from his hair, maintaining the stare he was receiving.

The other boy looked untidier than the previous day and his eyes seemed darker and more heavily shaded, his gaze never left Light's face.

Eventually Light looked away and continued straightening his clothes.

Movement caught his eye and he glanced again to find that the boy had removed his school shirt and tie and was rolling it into a ball. He had a plain black T shirt on underneath, he went on to step out of his sneakers.

Light stopped what he was doing and turned to watch the other, seeing the white cotton socks with Bart Simpson on them made Light blink and then he watched none too discreetly as the boy removed his pants, yanking them off and folding it neatly.

Underneath the pants he had been wearing a knee length shorts and Light watched him pull his sneakers back on and tie the laces when he crouched down.

Standing back up Light looked over the very useful under clothes, this boy looked as if he'd never been at school. Once the shirt was off, Light noticed the simple chain hanging from the thin white neck and that the socks pulled up mid calf over the lean muscled calves with the black shorts on all looked like it had been planned, like the previous afternoon when he'd seen the boy completely dressed in different clothes after school.

They stared at each other again once the other completed his transformation and Light watched as a thin hand reached up and ruffled black wild hair, it looked soft to touch at the very least, even if it had never been cared for or brushed.

"You smell like your trying to get laid." was the only comment Light was spared before the compacted rolled and folded clothing items were placed on top of Lights books, this brought the other boy close to Light, which made him step back against his better judgment.

Without another word he was left alone to the sound of the door closing noisily and he turned belatedly to see the closed door, then back at the uniform folded on top of his things.

"…" he had no words or even a sound to make.

* * *

Light didn't know why he was doing this but he placed the clothing in his locker and then stared at it, his books rested against his side clutched in his other hand as he leaned against his locker door, he should have left the clothes in the bathrooms as evidence of the others truancy, but he didn't.

He didn't want to believe it was fear, he didn't know if he was afraid of another confrontation with him or any of them, he'd mentioned the blonde and had been talking to someone familiar with the group of people during the conversation.

He sighed and closed his eyes as he quietly closed his locker, turned the lock so it clicked shut and locked in the clothing.

Light opened his eyes again and opened the locker again, a certain amount of defiance reflecting in the hazel color. He placed his books back inside and shut the locker again, he held nothing now, and he was clutching his fists tightly. He had no reason to do this, why was going to do something stupid and out of character?

As he walked through the hallway shortcuts Light felt a bit of exhilaration when he realized that he was about to ditch school and he was determined to get away with it, after all, since that stupid class boy of his could do it, he didn't see why he couldn't.

* * *

It hadn't been hard to leave the premises actually, it was so deserted along the grass behind the hedges lining the driveway that he took a very peaceful walk and was out of gates soundlessly.

Light always wore a white T shirt underneath his shirts, any other colors made it look dull from its white color.

He took his shirt off and carried it in an untidy bundle in his hands as he walked down the street, he couldn't see the boy from his school anywhere but he had a fair idea of where he might start looking.

He climbed the bank and this time went straight over and almost fell down the slight steep bank on the other side. When his feet touched the concrete of the empty skate park concrete he placed his shirt down in the floor, deciding to abandon it, he had many more and he's mother wouldn't notice.

He stated walking around and saw nothing special about the place, which he'd expected but he didn't see his class boy either. After twenty minutes Light decided he'd wasted his time, he'd ditched school and it wouldn't go unnoticed and all for nothing because he wasn't able to find the person he'd followed or figure out the reason why he'd wanted to follow.

He looked to the side where there were some tightly packed trees and then back to the bank where he'd come, it seemed far from the back of the skate park where he was at that point.

He figured he'd explore and so he made his way toward the trees, it was obvious that it had been walked through before since some of the tree limbs were broken off and the grass was worn from what he could see looking down the small path through the grass and bush.

He walked through and started walking down, bored and feeling frustrated that his expedition had failed, he stuffed his hands into his pockets. A long walk down the path revealed a dead end and open space, then another space in the thicker trees and bushes, Light approached and opted to just look through, so he did.

Only to push through and follow the shorter path to see a cemetery, huge and filled with headstones and expensive graves, but that wasn't why he pushed through, he saw his class boy and he was with another person who wore a hooded jacket up over his head and as he edged out further, Light's hands fisted tightly in anxiousness when he witnessed something that made him shudder in both interest and shock.


	4. Luckiest Loser

**A/N: I'd like to thank Lighter-kun for the reviews. This story has been on FF for years before it was deleted by the admin, but I don't think you ever read it. There are about 18 chapters to it so far, so I can promise you plenty of promiscuity and fun lol**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Light watched as the two boys circled a grave stone, talking to one another, heatedly, he could see his class mates face as he seemed to be looking around and then back to the other, but the other had black hair that covered the sides of his face…still Light felt he knew who it was.

B.

They stopped and B stepped onto the expensive stone slab, only to step onto the cross where he perched on top of the head stone, sitting on the top of the vertical stone and his feet rested on the horizontal part of the cross. He looked sickly when Light could finally see his face, his eyes were shaded with dark circles and his skin seemed far more sallow than when Light had seen him the previous day.

His classmate had stopped walking and stepped up onto the slab, kneeling in front of B and sitting on his own legs, Light heard him say something about 'it'll be okay' before he dipped his head and his black hair fell forward, the scene was depressing enough to make Light frown, he found himself wondering what was happening or had happened already.

He could see them talking some more but he couldn't make out what they were saying, he was aware that his legs were hurting from crouching behind the small bushes. They were about 15 meters from him and he was looking up at them from the low angle on the ground, he let his knees set into the cool soil and he felt the strain lessen. He just could not leave the scene, he felt like something more was meant to come out of this, like there was something else to see.

The weather was becoming more overcast but every so often he could see the sun come threw making him a bit warmer.

After a few minutes of quiet talking, his class mate looked back up at B's face and he saw how B leaned forward making his classmate nod, B slipped his hands from his pockets and Light could see dark stains on the ends of his thin pale fingertips, like it was dirty with sand…

He glanced around all of the graves, they were all too well kept and covered and there were none that had just soil, so that creepy idea failed to materialize any further. He saw B take out a cigarette and light it with a match which he tossed on to the ground behind him, dropping one leg so his foot was beside the other boy on the slab, he smoked from the small white stick quietly, his class mate was staring at the others darkened fingers intently as his free hand rested on his knee.

When he dropped his leg, Light noticed instantly the mud caked and some still wet under the boots that B wore, his black jeans tucked inside the lace ups. It hadn't been raining so that obviously came from a lake, were there any lakes?

Light narrowed his eyes as he saw B pass the cigarette to his classmate, who took it silently and smoked very casually, this meant he probably smoked all the time which wasn't surprising.

B then stood up and the other got up slowly too, finishing the cigarette off and tossing it into the soil around them, they both stood staring at the head stone cross, B had his head turned back since he was facing the slightly shorter boy and his eyes looked deeply hollow. B's arm came up and he held the other boy's arm as he pushed him gently to make their way from the grave.

They hopped down and walked shoulder to shoulder along the grave paths, zig-zagging until Light could hardly see them, the sky was becoming far more overcast as well. He stood up carefully, looking over some larger stones and he saw the two boys disappear behind a thick lining of trees, so he walked out from his small hiding place and spared a glance to the stained knee parts of his pants, his mother would definitely notice that.

Sighing as he went, Light stopped at the grave slab and looked at the expensive marble the boys had been standing on, their dirt trails from their shoes made it look dirty and ugly and had left chunks of mud on the actually cross itself.

He doubted either of the boys' were related to the 'Quillsh Wammy' whose body lay there.

"Disrespectful jerks." He mumbled, Light didn't have an affinity for death and all of that spiritual junk, but you wouldn't see him walking over people's graves.

Again, against his better judgment, Light followed the path he'd seen them take, seeing the sneaker and boot imprints in the sand as he went, you might assume he had nothing to do with all of his self importance.

The air was colder now and he felt himself break out in goose bumps on his skin.

When he neared the thick tree's and their thick sturdy trunks, their age was obvious and it smelled of damp grass and soil, he could hear some birds and then he heard a soft laugh, identifying once again the smooth deep voice he recognized.

"Do we need to go later…?"

"There isn't a fucking reason not to, but same's the other way." B spoke, a hint of English lacing his accent in his semi deep voice.

"We could lie…and then we can go to your place and wait it out."

There was a sound of disagreement,

"No, they'd know we were lying and come and get us, why don't you want to go?"

"I wanted to be alone…"

"Being with me isn't alone."

"…no, its better. But I'd take alone."

The was no noise for a while and finally the familiar voice spoke up,

"We'll go but then, I'm leaving early and they can decide whether they're coming with me, you included."

"Where you wanna go?"

"I'll come here…to the cemetery."

"If we're all 'ere you won't be alone any better."

"We'll be alone, all of us, away from those suffocating bastards." This Light identified as notable anger in his class boys voice.

"Right then, lets have it out here, we'll do our own memorial service."

Light frowned, so he'd been incorrect, that grave sight had had something to do with these boys, and they were going to pay respects…they didn't seem like the loving sort.

"That sounds like a plan."

"That's only at six, it's just after 2 now…"

"I think it's going to rain, Beyond."

Light blinked, not understanding the structure of the English sentence, had he forgotten to say 'from beyond' if he were going for some spiritual feeling, he didn't want to question his flawless English.

"Hm…probably later tonight, which'll be perfect."

"…and until then." this was spoken more distantly.

It could have been a question, Light didn't know, so he waited but nothing happened, just some small shuffling sounds and it made him far too curious, so he actually decided to take a peek, leaning to one side and trying to see around the large tree trunk, he managed to catch sight of the two boys.

Oddly enough, their legs were tangled and as Light became a bit braver and stepped forward to see more around the tree, his face became hot and he blushed suddenly.

The two were close together, his class mate less visible as he was pressed against a tree trunk and B was standing against him, of which Light could mostly see his back and his hair and tattoo since the hood had been dropped.

Thin fingers of his class boys one hand were gripping at the thick black hair, the other clutching tightly to the back of the black hooded jacket worn by the taller boy, who was very gingerly kissing the shorter boy in a way that Light would describe as 'rough' or maybe 'passionate' if the scene hadn't made his head spin just then and repeat the words 'what the hell?' over and over.

He'd never seen two guys kissing like that before, he'd never actually witnessed two boys even kiss each other on the mouth until the previous day.

"Oi, knock it off…save it for later!"

Light's heart skipped a beat and he dropped to the ground, literally just over a meter from him around another tree, another voice had sounded, familiar too, it was Matt and he entered the small clearing behind the trees. Light's heart was skipping beats every second and he narrowed his eyes in irritation, thinking only of how messed up they all were.

"You two made up I see…leaving me out." That was Mello speaking and his words made Light shake his head in what he figured was disapproval that had his stomach doing flip flops.

"Mello always interrupts." The voice was so sad that Light wanted to look again to see his class boys pale face register this emotion.

"You just have bad timing, I'm not stopping you though, Matt ruined your fun."

"With good reason." Was the answer from the mean redhead.

There was the sound of paper packaging being torn.

"Oooh." That was Mello.

"Fuck yeah." That dull voice was B.

"How much did it cost?" B asked.

"A pretty penny." Was the short answer, "…but it doesn't matter, it's worth it."

"Is that for tonight?" his class mate asked quietly.

There was some silence,

"No…I know you wanted to do it tonight but I think we should leave it."

"Why not tonight?" he persisted.

"Because dude, the fucking memorial is tonight." Matt answered.

"I don't even want to go…I'd rather we don't actually."

"We have to go." Mello offered and Light was again startled when he heard soil and leaves crunch loudly on just the other side of the tree he was hidden behind.

"I don't have to do anything and I wont be told otherwise." Was the calm response.

"Jesus Christ, stop this fuckin' shit already, he's gonna get what's coming to him, going tonight will just be like the preliminary round…"

"It wont be, because I'm not going."

"Man-"

"End of the fucking discussion!"

Light felt a bit concerned, they seemed to talking about someone with intent to eventually harm and the tension levels were off the charts, although his class boy seemed to be the highest strung.

"But you said to me a moment ago you would." B piped up, his voice sounded closer than Light would have liked.

"I went last year and had to look at him sitting there and pretending like he gave a shit, I can't even return home for fear of what I might do to him, until we are all ready to do what we've vowed, I shall not go near him."

"I can't do it tonight…my father is at home." Matt said finally talking about whatever the threat and vow had been and Light heard someone make a sad sigh.

"I could probably make it…" Mello mumbled half heartedly.

B said nothing.

"Beyond will be with me here tonight if any of you care to join us."

"Maybe we could do a séance!" Mello said excitedly, his tight voice laced with a rich charm, Light tried to picture him but hadn't seen enough of him to do so accurately.

"And summon who?"

"Wammy!" he answered B, who Light had related to the term 'Beyond', he figured it may be a nick name.

They all laughed for a reason Light wasn't aware of and he wondered how come they could relax so easily after the intense discussion they'd just had.

"We'll all shed some tears…some blood…" Mello started on again, "…Matty, we wont do it without you."

"I'll see if I can get away without him noticing." Matt sounded less than enthusiastic.

"You can stay over at mines and the cunt won't ever find you before he pisses off again." Mello said.

"We'll see."

"So we'll meet here?" his class mate asked and there was a dull hum of agreement.

"When did you two kiss and make up?" Mello asked.

"He can't stay mad at me." B said and Light felt a little irritated at the statement, probably because they had literally meant 'kiss' and make up.

They all snickered and teased for a moment, Light was becoming irritated sitting on the cold soil so he shifted just barely to get back into a crouch.

It was a bit too late to hide or anything when he looked up at the albino kid, who had been about to walk the same path and not notice him sitting there as they others had, when he moved he drew attention to himself and the sharp colorless eyes fell on him and narrowed quickly,

"Matt!" the loud sound shot from the tiny pale boys mouth like a siren and Light's heart stopped in his chest.

Without a moment to waste he ran, throwing himself into it and pushing past every bit of foliage in his path, but he heard the exclamations of 'what Near?' and then the sound of many people tearing after him probably to turn a threat on him.

He was a steady runner and he was fit, he used every muscle he had to run as fast as he could, in his mind he chanted that all he had to do was get to the skate park…just get to the skate park.

"Hey pretty boy!" came the taunt.

There was some loud whistling from all of them and they were all at different pitches, making him confused, some were too close!

The mistake came from him, when he fell for the whistling and looked back, seeing them relatively far away meant nothing, because that spilt second loss of concentration sent him tripping and flying into the soft but rough soil.

The whistling slowed and some laughs were heard…Light had to wonder…just how often these boys chased people through deserted dark places…and what happened when the, inevitably it seemed, would catch up to them.

"The freak was hiding behind the tree." Near's voice sounded and Light inwardly grimaced.

When he was grabbed by several hands roughly however he grimaced visibly, his hair was yanked and he was pushed onto his knees.

Matt crouched down in front of him and with a gloved hand he brought the goggles from his messy red hair over his eyes before he looked directly at Light,

"You just cant get enough of us can you?" the grin that came over the red head's face made Light narrow his eyes, "…or maybe…" he continued, "…I just need to give you a little more yea?"


	5. Voyuer

**AN: This chapter was mildly edited, uncensored version is on my AO3 page. Link on my profile.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

* * *

Looking down Light avoided eye contact with the strangely hostile red head, he didn't know what he'd done to this guy but he clearly had it in for him.

"Anyone got a knife?" the question was so sudden that Light's hazel eyes opened wide and he looked directly into the green eyes staring him down.

He glanced to his side to find that his class mate was slipping something from his jeans and when the pocket knife was visible Light narrowed his eyes, he knew that they wouldn't seriously injure him…well he hoped he knew they wouldn't seriously injure him.

Matt took the pocketknife and clicked it so it snapped out loudly in the quiet surroundings.

"He was sitting just outside of the clearing, whatever you guys were talking about he was listening to." Near informed them.

"Pretty boy is a voyeur then yea?" Beyond remarked with irritation and walked around so he was looking at Light.

From that angle Light clearly saw the differences in his class mate and this boy, they didn't actually look anything alike except for the hair and strangely bad posture, which was relieving because in a way it meant they probably weren't related which eased his nausea of seeing them making out.

"A voyeur…" Near commented but didn't question, probably having filled in the blanks mentally because he looked at Light with distaste.

"Did you enjoy watching them, is that it?" Matt questioned with a lopsided grin, playing with the small knife in his hand as he crouched in front of Light.

"Can't be mad at him for that, I love watching them go at each other too." Mello piped up and laughed along with Beyond's wide grin.

"Hm, I suppose, it's not like we have anything against a good show…" his eyes trailed to Beyond when he spoke who looked at where Light assumed his classmate was standing.

Matt nodded and Beyond grabbed Light roughly and pulled him to his feet, then Matt took over grabbing Light, holding his hair so he could angle Light's head in the direction of his classmate,

"You two know each other right?" he asked Light but received no answer so he raised the knife and poked the tip against Light's skin on his neck,

"I like getting answered when I ask a question, wasn't it you who pointed out my bad manners the other day, look at you now…" he said quietly, breathing against Light's ear.

There was a pause and he shook Light roughly, Light was certain he felt some of his hair being plucked from his scalp and he grimaced visibly,

" . .other?" Matt said slowly.

Light stared at his classmate, who was the essence of indifferent, hands in his pockets and a freshly blooming hicky on his pale neck.

"Yes…" Light mumbled.

"Better." Matt chastised and he grinned, the knife running lightly over Light's neck, Matt placed a few kisses against his skin and Light paled and stiffened, what the hell was this guy doing?

"I think he just needs some attention…he's pretty depraved to be creeping around in the bushes." Mello said in an amused tone and tucked his blonde hair behind his ear absently.

Near was the only one who didn't look impressed, much like how Light didn't know what to make of Matt's personality, Near was similar, you never quite knew what he was thinking.

"Let's introduce him shall we…boys?" Mello raised his hands and Matt glanced at him with a grin.

They formed more or less a circle around Light when Matt let go of him and Light's hands came up to touch his reddened and kissed neck as well as his hair, he half turned to look at the small circle seeing all of them standing around him before facing the red head again.

Matt placed his hands in his pockets and he smirked at Light, the pocket knife put away,

"I'm Matt…"

"I'm Mello." The blonde winked at him after Matt introduced himself.

"Near…" the albino only said because Mello gave him an insistent look to which he glared briefly, Near's sharp spiked hair rivaled the dirty sharp look he gave Light afterward.

"I'm Beyond." He turned slightly and found those eyes narrowed at him dangerously.

"I am L." he turned fully and came to face his class boy, finally knowing his…name, or initial, he wasn't certain.

"…L." he repeated dully.

"Ah…so he has a sweet spot for L then, is that all!" Mello smiled and Beyond grinned,

"I think he does after all, seeing as how he followed 'im here from the school." He glanced at L who almost managed a shrug at the statement.

"Give him a show, then." Mello tilted his head and came up behind Light.

Light froze when Mello's arms wound around his waist and hands ran over his stomach, Mello's hands were cold through the thin material of Light's white cotton shirt and when his fingertips grazed the skin beneath his pants waist Light's hands clutched Mello's tightly to stop him.

Everyone stared at him seeing how he had broken out in a slight panicked sweat.

Mello pressed tighter against him from behind, they were more or less the same height,

"Don't be shy…you'll like it if you try it."

Matt then walked over to L and took his face into his gloved hands, kissing L's cheeks and his nose and his chin before settling his mouth over L's and kissing him.

Both boys didn't hesitate to go all out, mouths opening and L arms came up, his fingers slipping into Matt's belt loops as they kissed. L was barely taller than Matt.

Beyond was smiling and Light could feel Mello's lips on the shell of his ear,

"You like that?"

Light shook his head, no, numbly and Mello's teeth grazed over the soft tissue of his lobe and Light's breath hitched but he was frozen against Mello's warm body.

Beyond walked over to the kissing pair and his arms slipped around L's waist, hands easily sliding beneath the pants waist band and dipping lower until the tent of Beyond's hands at L's crotch was very obvious…he couldn't take his eyes off the scene in front of him.

L made a sound like a moan at whatever B was doing, he could probably guess and then he watched as Matt's kisses became rougher and L was suddenly a picture of needy vulnerability between the two boys, keening to their touches.

"That's hot…" Mello whispered.

"Hm…" Near echoed quietly as he stared and Light became aware of hardness against him where Mello stood behind him.

"You can have him too." Mello whispered and his hands slipped from Light's weakened grip further into his pants and the thin fingers cupped his semi through his boxer shorts.

Light yelped audibly and shut his eyes in panic, his hand clutching Mello's desperately through his pants,

"Please don't…touch me like that…" he pleaded, unbelieving of the desperate and raspy tone of voice.

Mello slipped his hands away but let them linger on Light's waist and he looked at Matt who slowly separated his lips from L's and was now looking at them,

"He's not ready…" Mello said aloud and L leaned back against Beyond who kissed his neck and cheek affectionately.

They were all silent and Light was shaking, looking at all of them with little defiance and a lot of discomfort, especially since he had had a reaction to the sight before him and they all knew it too.

"L." Mello sounded like he was asking something of the other and L looked at Light lazily.

To Lights frightened surprise, L came over to him, in his aroused state and kissed Mello over his shoulder, loudly in his ear and then he pulled back and his mouth was inches from Light's.

L pressed his mouth to Light's and ran his tongue over his lips, Light opened his mouth but frowned as if in pain, because he hated that a part of him was letting this happen.

L kissed him deeply. He didn't really react to it, but he registered the sensations it created in his body.

Light was frozen but very hot.

When it ended and L pulled back, Light opened his eyes, he hadn't realized they'd been closed to begin with.

"He looks a bit better, some color in his cheeks." Beyond teased.

Mello let go of him and Matt walked over to the blonde, Mello jumped on Matt's back, his legs wrapped firmly around the taller boys waist and arms around his neck he was smiling,

"Let's go boys." Mello called as he and Matt departed.

Near walked off quietly after them and Light stared at L who looked at Beyond and then back at him,

"…if you want to hang out…come by the skate park sometime." He said dully and Beyond winked at Light.

He had no idea what happened right then, but as they all walked away, back to the clearing, Light shivered and felt as if he might cry.

* * *

Light didn't go and hang out, in fact he steered clear of the skate park all together, they were all severely fucked up and Light wanted no conscious part of it. He couldn't control his dreams and how they lingered on the touches and experiences with the 5 boys, but he could control what he would do when he was awake. So Light had convinced his father to leave a bit later to work so he could drive Light to school, he arrived just as the school gates opened usually but he didn't mind.

He'd told his parents he wasn't feeling well and that he'd gotten sick that day and left early from the school, explaining the state of his school pants by saying he'd tripped and landed in some damp sand because he had been dizzy.

He refused doctors and time off school and even though his parents were confused, Light was fortunate they never questioned him…but this meant he only had a few days left of reprieve before they started asking if anything else was wrong if he continued to ask his father to take him to school.

But he'd sort that problem out when it arose, right then he'd passed the end of the previous week, the weekend and rest of the current week easily and it was Friday again too, he'd managed not to run into any one of them for a week and half.

By staying inside at all times except for attending school.

With a sigh Light closed his eyes and leaned his head on his arms which were over the books on his desk, he had been having trouble sleeping as well since what had happened. The very idea of him kissing a boy left him very uncomfortable and that it had actually happened was devastating him…because he had liked it even though he wouldn't admit it aloud to himself.

He'd liked watching Matt kiss L too and he'd liked when Beyond…when Mello was pressed against him it was warm…

He sighed again and shook his head so it rolled from side to side on his books.

He'd been avoiding L as well, although truthfully he hadn't seen much of the boy in that week, it's like he never attended school for more than an hour.

He hadn't been able to stop thinking about L though, he felt so raw inside from how badly he abused himself mentally, he didn't know why he hadn't fought harder…why was afraid of them? Or more importantly, why was he fascinated by them?

* * *

That Friday day passed him by quickly at least and before he knew it, the afternoon had come and school was dismissed. He was about to leave the grounds, walking out with the throngs of other teens when someone called him, he didn't look around, he didn't want to speak to anyone, he wanted to run home since his father wasn't going to fetch him that afternoon.

"Light! Wait! Where are you going?" the voice sounded familiar but the question was odd.

Hesitantly, he looked over his shoulder and stopped walking when he saw Coach Matsuda running up to him from across the large grass grounds, waving his hands stupidly to get his attention and grinning stupidly too.

Light remembered right then that he had the soccer try outs and he grimaced quietly as the man got nearer,

"Light…!" he felt the need to exclaim again when he finally came close to the teenager.

Light blinked at him but his eyes were not relaxed, instead just a bit narrowed.

"Hello coach Matsuda…listen,"

"I told them to wait and I ran to find you! Everyone's excited about your tryout! They all know you were a regular athlete with running and stuff back in Japan." he went on unhindered and threw his arm over Light's shoulders in order to drag him along back into the school.

The contact made Light cringe inwardly, he didn't want to be touched and he silently cursed his school record for making people so full of knowledge about him.

He went along though, dragged through the large open grounds to stairs which led down a soccer field full of teens warming up while Matsuda didn't seem to find an end to blabbing.

"Go get changed…quickly." was the comfortable instruction and Light walked passed some children and into the locker rooms built beside the field.

* * *

It had made him feel better, all of the physical exertion, he actually didn't feel as helpless as he had from the previous weeks events. He found he was still fit enough to outrun most of the boys on the field, he was still sharp enough to maneuver and outsmart and had enough stamina to complete the test trials with only a slight shortage of breath.

He knew he'd qualified because he'd seen the subtle nod of approval Coach Matsuda had given him and he was pleased with the outcome, he was grateful he'd had his Phys Ed clothes in his bag or he might have had to put the rigorous and refreshing activity off and miss the chance to work out his tension.

He had a comfortable sweat on his skin and chose to take a brisk walk home, his bag felt weightless over his shoulder as he moved along the late afternoon empty roads. He heard noise over the hill of the skate park and without any nervousness, just went by it, uninterested in everything and for the first time in days he felt like the perfect Light Yagami again.

When he arrived home, he walked over the concrete of the driveway and over the grass, hopping up the large porch steps and opening the door.

"I'm home mom." he said aloud, as he would usually do and he heard her acknowledge him from somewhere in the house.

He walked through the living room and found the stairs, having gotten more comfortable with the layout of the larger house. He climbed the carpeted stairs and walked down the upstairs hall into his room.

Closing his door he sealed himself into his peace of mind and dropped his bag to the floor, unbuttoning his school shirt. Thinking he would write out his plans for the weekend, lists to Light were very attractive because they were orderly and color coordinated when he did them. He felt like he could focus again all because he gotten rid of the tension he'd been building up, he'd forgotten how useful exercise was.

He walked back out of his room carrying his shirt and into the bathroom that he and his sister usually shared because his mother and father had an en-suite, turning on the shower after he'd dumped his shirt in the hamper, Light locked the door and undressed completely, tossing all of his clothes into the hamper as well.

He washed the well worn sweat from his body, nothing like the uncomfortable cold sweat he'd had the other late afternoon.

He sighed and just enjoyed the hot shower.

* * *

He was sitting on the sofa in the lounge with a hardcover book against of his bent knees as he was leaning back with one foot on the couch, a page lay atop the book with his neat handwriting scrawled in specific order along the margin. The pen was balanced between his fingers as well as an open marker.

Like didn't think this was silly, making lists and such, he just enjoyed it. On the coffee table was a glass of juice on a coaster and an empty saucer which had held a sandwich earlier when he'd first come downstairs.

The TV was on and his mother was in the kitchen cooking as six o clock crawled up slowly and she'd want to watch some American soap opera's, she seemed to adore them.

Light was enjoying the afternoon and early evening, it was so peaceful and-

The door bell rang, he heard noise from upstairs as his sister all but threw herself into movement, having made many friends with her cute 'foreign ways' he knew the visitors were probably for her. Light's eyes stayed glued to his paper and he wrote a note about picking up a new color highlighter since yellow was getting old.

Down the stairs his sister bounded and he heard his mother stop moving dishes about,

"Sayu! If you go out I want you back by 8!" her voice traveled and Sayu responded with a loud 'Hai' before Light heard the front door open.

When there was no excited girly chatter Light found himself frowning, but he heard his sister talking to a muffled male voice, he raised his eyebrows, Sayu was getting brave telling boys where she lived, his parents would likely split a few hairs.

He went back to his page until Sayu popped her head round the arch wall to the lounge,

"Onii-chan…you have visitors." she still sounded so odd when speaking in English and her expression was wide eyed and confused.

"Hm?" he looked at her with a light frown, he didn't have anyone who could visit him, no one knew where he lived.

She nodded at his confused enquiry and he moved his leg off the couch and stood up, comfortable in his socks, grey jeans and dark blue T shirt, Light walked up the step out of the lounge passed his sister and to the left, to the small entrance hall of the house.

He visibly paled and didn't walk any closer to the door, leaving a meter and a bit between him, the blonde and the red head at the door.

Mello was dressed in dark clothes, Light saw the bottom of leather dark pants and high calf covering leather laced boots, the rest of him was covered in a long leather trench coat, a choker around his pale neck and his blonde hair pulled into a mid level pony tail, some of the hair fell forward untidily, he looked so different…more boy like.

Matt was dressed similarly, except he wore a black puffy jacket that had white fur at the turtle neck collar and a long sleeve red shirt was peeking out at the ends of the jacket sleeves, with a dark jeans and boots similar to Mello's, Matt's mouth was concealed in the turtle neck, his goggles covering his eyes and leaving his red hair to fall around it.

They were staring at how pale he'd gone and how far he stood from them, Mello smiled at him nicely,

"Don't look at us like that Light, your sister's gonna think your in some sort of trouble." Mello laughed in nice way and Light knew it was fake but this it brought his attention to the fact that his sister was standing behind him.

He didn't know if he still looked like a sick ghost but he hoped the yellow light from the hall would not reveal this too badly as he turned half way to Sayu who seemed very interested in staring at the pair and when he looked between them, more specifically the highly attractive blonde.

"Sayu, nokoshite kudasai." he said quietly to his sister.

The girl pulled an upset face but left and Light turned back to Mello who watched her disappear.

"Nipponjin no on'nanoko wa totemo kawaii desu." Mello looked to the red head, Matt only stared at Light who had paled again at Mello's words.

"Hm…watashi wa kare ga suki desu." Matt responded and Mello smiled at the statement.

Light swallowed down his shock painfully and stared them both,

"Don't look at her…you like boys don't you?" he said the last part quietly and took a few steps closer. Mello looked at him and feigned hurt,

"I don't discriminate based on gender, Light…but beside that, she's too young…"

He nearly scoffed at the blue eyed boy talking as if he had some sort of morals but instead he just looked around to make sure his sister was gone and his mother was still in the kitchen before he stepped even closer,

"How do you know my name…and what do you want, how did know I lived here?"

"We came to get you…"

Light paled again, that sounded like a threat right?

Matt made a small noise of amusement and raised his mouth out of the jacket so he could talk to Light,

"Relax you fucking idiot, not to get you like to hurt you…" Matt grinned.

"No no…we're passed that. L likes you so he said that we shouldn't mess with you anymore." Mello informed him casually, leaning in the door way and Matt stood just behind him,

"We're going to an underground game…it'll be fun."

Light didn't know what to say or ask first so he looked between them,

"A…game?"

"Yeah…fighting…" Matt mumbled behind his turtle neck.

"Get your shit, we're gonna be late."

They stared at him.

"…no…I don't want to go with you…"

"Yeah you do, your just feeling nervous because you're scared we're gonna fuck with you." Matt rolled his eyes.

Light frowned slightly and Mello stepped in passed the threshold, Light realized then that Mello was actually a few inches taller than he was,

"We're not gonna hurt you…we like you now, we wanna show you around…"

"Yeah…if you still don't like what we have to offer after that you can fuck off." Matt sounded bored.

"Matty, be nice, L told you." Mello had glanced back and scolded the red head who rolled his eyes again beneath his goggles.

"It's warm outside but you should take a jacket anyway, Light." Mello smiled at him, "…and let your mum know you'll be late. We're waiting outside." he said quietly and Light stepped back when Mello's lips brushed against his and he instantly shivered with worry.

Matt was smirking, his mouth wasn't visible but Light could tell,

"Don't be long." Matt said as Mello back stepped and they walked out, closing the door behind themselves.

Light stood there…numb and his lips tingling.

L liked him? So now they all liked him?

"Light…are you okay, Sayu says you have visitors?" his mother came up behind him.

Absently he rubbed his hand over his mouth before he turned around and looked at his mother's round expectant eyes, Sayu just behind her with a raised eyebrow of curiosity.

"Ah…ye…yes…mom, I'm…uh, they're friends of mine. I'm just gonna put on some shoes and grab a jacket…I'm going out okay." he couldn't believe what he was saying.

His mother wasn't all that surprised, Light was a socialite back in Japan, he always had places to go and people to spend time with.

"Alright…" she smiled and turned, ushering Sayu toward the kitchen, "…back by 12, I'll leave dinner in the microwave." she said as she disappeared with Sayu around the corner.

Light was shaking so he had stuck his hands into his pockets and now he slipped them out balled in tight fists and glanced at the closed door before moving through the hall to the staircase in the lounge.

He didn't understand how they were telling him what to do…but a pair of shoes and jacket later, Light opened his front door and stepped out and there across the street under a street lamp, stood the two boys watching him.

* * *

**Translation might be shaky but basically Light told Sayu to leave. Mello said to Matt that he thinks Japanese girls and cute and Matt said that he likes Light better.**


	6. Reckless Abandon

**Chapter 6**

* * *

Light was quiet as they walked along the suburban streets, he hadn't known what exactly he'd expected when he'd reached them across the street, but they hadn't actually even said another word to him. As they walked he was to the right of both of them walking side by side and talking about some concert they knew of. Mello mentioned how he'd elbowed a guy in the face on purpose when he was in the mosh pit and Matt laughed and said he wished he could have been there.

Light tried not to look over at them but he couldn't help it, Matt had opened the top part of his turtle neck jacket and Light could see a cut on his lower lip that looked fresh, he honestly had no idea what these boys got up to that had them looking so pallid and scaly all the time. But when he thought back to how he'd looked after just one encounter with them, he figured it had something to do with their lifestyles.

There was a clicking sound as they snickered on about what they'd been talking about and Light glanced over again seeing a cloud of smoke rise into the air, against the dark sky it seemed so much more visible. Mello inhaled from the cigarette and then handed it to Matt who was grinning as he took a deep inhale from it. They reached the intersection and Light followed them left in a new direction he hadn't been before, he fell behind them just a bit, thinking of running wasn't an option…because seriously, what good was that going to do? They knew where he schooled, what classes he attended and where he lived.

Walking behind them and seeing more clouds, like caught the smell of something he'd only ever had limited introduction to. His light hazel brown eyes widened and he walked fast to catch up with them and when they saw him gawking at them they slowed down,

"Is that Marijuana?" he whispered in shock.

Matt started laughing quietly and Mello did too leaving Light to frown at their random snickering and then Matt shook his head,

"Dude…do you have to say…Marijuana…that's sooooo lame!" he laughed a bit louder.

Mello was nodding and agreeing and it dawned on Light that they were high, even if not much, they were laughing like idiots as they walked. Light sighed and stuck his hands deeper into his beige jacket pockets.

He stiffened when Matt's arm came around his shoulders and Mello moved over to the other side of him, the half smoked joint raised near Light's mouth so the smell wafted up his delicate nostrils,

"Try it…it'll loosen you up…" Mello informed as they walked.

"No…thank you."

"You scared of a little weed pretty boy?" Matt tightened his arm around Light's neck putting him slightly off balance.

"…it's bad for your body…I don't do drugs…"

They burst out laughing and Mello made a loud moaning noise in the streets so it echoed and Light blushed when a few people littering the movie store and take out joints glanced over at them,

"You're too cute…" he said afterward, rather loudly as well.

"You can get arrested."

"You'll get arrested to…" Matt took the liberty of mentioning as they passed the joint across his line of sight and Matt took a few more inhales.

"No I won't…I haven't touched it…they'll be able to te-hmmm!" Light's shout of shock was muffled.

Matt's tongue never entered his mouth but smoke entered his lungs as Matt pressed his open mouth over Light's, breathing the heavy smoke of the weed into his body and Light's hands grabbed Matt's jacket to try and push him away but there was no luck in that, it was a quick movement and then he was let go of and almost stumbled back, but Mello caught him and laughed against his ear,

"…Matty's pretty naughty huh?" he found it amusing.

Light was shaking again, trying not to cough and he pulled himself from Mello's grasp, glancing around the streets, some people had seen but no one bothered to intervene.

"You shouldn't look at them for help…they don't give a shit." Matt informed.

"Let's go! Or we'll miss the best part!" Mello slapped his hand to Lights back and shoved him forward, taking the joint from Matt and having his last, he them crumpled the end bit with his fingers, flicking the heated bits off until it started dying down.

Light was walking between them and he was surprised when Mello clamped his fingers over it to put it out, the sound of something burned made Light stare at him but Mello just waved his hand a bit and rubbed his burned index finger and thumb together before putting the joint into his pocket.

"Didn't that hurt…?" he mumbled.

Mello looked at him and smirked,

"I like it…" he admitted.

"He does…" Matt added and Light turned to look at Matt on the other side of him, "…he likes it on his chest and stomach especially…sometimes on his thighs…"

Light gaped and glanced at Mello whose eyes seemed lazy after smoking the marijuana and he was smirking still, Light was feeling a little dizzy too having had it blown straight into his body but they were more stoned that he was obviously.

He remained quiet for the duration of the walk, looking at his surroundings attentively so that if he needed to leave whatever place they were going to he would know how to get home. Under the street lights at intervals, light noticed they were in a suburban area still, except the properties were getting larger and were further apart and they passed large brick walls and entrance gates.

They had started walking faster and during the 25 minutes that had passed both Matt and Mello had finished 2 cigarettes.

He wanted to know how old they were, obviously L was Light's own age, but these guys…?

When they took another turn, Light followed and he raised his eyebrows when they started walking through a large opened gate up a smoothly paved driveway.

He continued to keep his calm, he'd recovered from Matt's little mouth to mouth stunt earlier and convinced himself he wouldn't be caught off guard again, he had to toughen up and start to expect their random behavior, he still couldn't understand why he was here with them. Had they given him a choice back at the house? He wasn't sure.

"Who lives here?" he asked and was ignored when they reached the top of the driveway and saw the front of a large house with lights on in certain windows, mostly the upstairs ones. There were 4 cars in the large yard but no people. Light remembered they'd said they were going to a game where there'd be fighting and he'd been worried but since it was a house, he assumed it would be something on television that they all got together to watch.

But a part of him doubted it, he didn't know them well, but he knew they weren't predictable.

Matt and Mello led the way around the house to a back door, a kitchen door Light discovered when they entered without knocking and he felt nervous, he also didn't put it passed these boys to break into someone's house. He stopped after entering and they turned to look at him, Light saw Mello's questioning gaze and Matt's annoyance,

"What are we doing here…whose house is this?" he sounded a bit demanding but Light still disappointed himself with his wavering tone of voice.

Matt sighed,

"Fuck this shit…you can deal with him, I need a drink." He left them and walked through the kitchen and out of sight.

"You need to relax…" Light looked at Mello who hadn't even looked at Matt when the red head walked away, "…you never been to someone's house before? Come one Light, loosen up…it's just like a party…except in a basement." Mello started taking off his coat.

Light pressed his fingers to the door just behind him nervously,

"How do I know it's not just all of you waiting to make some sort of…porn, snuff film and I'm the star of that little show…" he found the handle and clutched it, ready to run.

The house was empty and spotless and eerie and Light became aware of how vulnerable he was around the boys he'd been mentally paralyzed by not very long ago, he had to be smart, he couldn't just walk blindly into what could be a cult sacrifice. Light watched a lot of extreme TV.

Mello laughed at him, he looked even more attractive in the bright kitchen light when he smiled and his short ponytail wagged from side to side as he tossed his heavy coat over a counter stool in the kitchen. Light couldn't help his eyes trailing over the waist coat Mello wore on his upper body, short so it revealed some skin of his waist, tight to his apparently well-toned fair skinned body and he didn't make it look obscene even as he wore the pants to go with it,

"Like what you see?"

"No!" Light's eyes rose quickly to Mello's and he snapped the word.

"Quit being so damn uptight…" he laughed again, "…as kinky as your porno snuff film idea sounds, this is just something that was happening and you got invited. Don't flatter yourself…let's go." He started walking the way Matt had gone and Light hesitated.

They'd been talking about killing someone that day at the clearing hadn't they? He shivered remembering where his forward ways had landed him and he decided it was better to leave. But even after opening the door and staring out at the dark back yard of the large house, Light wanted to know what was happening inside that basement Mello mentioned, maybe he was over reacting, maybe it was just a party. L wanted him there?

Why did it matter?

With an irritated sigh, much like the one he'd had at his locker that faithful day he followed L, Light tried to tell himself he was being brave. He left the door open and turned around, walking in the direction Mello had gone and when he turned the corner out of the kitchen and passed a large living room, he jumped in fright when he saw Mello leaning against a door built into the underside of the enclosed staircase, smiling at him.

Light narrowed his eyes, caught out again.

"Now I could say…curiosity killed the cat, but we're passed that. L likes you, like I said. And since you've been given the chance to walk away just now and your **still** here…I'm gonna assume you understand that you've given it away, you're interested in us…or at least just in L…for now."

That last bit made Light worry, what did Mello mean by that?

"So…quit playing hard to get and acting like chicken shit, you want to know more…you want to find out and you want to…learn." Mello gave a rather suggestive smile at that point and Light's body screamed at him to 'run' but his mind held fast to the idea of going through with this, it was just a party of sorts…just a get together.

Mello opened the door,

"There is no turning back now…" he leaned against the frame and smiled at Light.

Light walked forward slowly and then just walked through the door quickly, tired of asking himself questions, Mello was right, he didn't run so he obviously needed to get to the bottom of this… whatever it was.

Hearing the door close on the dark staircase leading down, he heard a lock click shut,

"We're the last to arrive and we're late…move your ass." Mello sounded a bit more intimidating all of a sudden. But he was speaking louder because there was a lot of noise filtering up the stairs and at the bottom Light saw bright lights in the basement.

He started walking down the stairs, it was getting brighter the further down he went. When he reached the bottom Light couldn't help but be surprised and admitting it only to himself…scared.

The shouting was louder right at the bottom and even in the large space it was overwhelming, it looked like mostly concrete and wood made up the basement and in the center of a large gathering of people Light could hear the sound of grunts of pain and people shouted when there was a skin to skin smacking sound.

Through the gaps in the people he could see a guy land on the floor and another one got on top of him and started hitting him, but legs blocked lights view and he shook his head, turning half way to find Mello just behind him, smirking,

"It's all in good fun." He said aloud and then broke out grinning while looked over the heads of people, that masculine demeanor wavering for a second and Light followed his line of sight, L was standing above the rest of the crowd, on something no doubt and waving at Mello who waved back.

Then he started walking away from Light, forgotten completely and standing alone to listen to the sounds of the people screaming and the other two fighting, someone was laughing in there as well. Light followed Mello.

In the back corner, Light realized the basement was bigger than it looked when he passed a large opening leading to more people further in, he caught up with Mello and stopped at the couches that L, near and Matt occupied along with another dark haired guy who wore spectacles and looked very serious. He watched Mello step over the dark haired boy's legs to get to L and he leaned over Matt, L sitting forward to share a lip to lip kiss with Mello before Mello settled down beside Matt who was playing on a PSP and not paying attention to anyone, his jacket removed and he was relaxed.

Light looked back to L who was staring at him,

"You can sit down…" he spoke over the noise in his baritone voice.

Numbly, Light shifted and sat down beside Near who ignored him very stiffly and sipped from a glass of something that looked like chocolate milk. Interesting.

"If you want something to drink you can go and look through the cooler…" Mello piped up as he raised a leg onto the sofa which was still in good condition, his boot heal digging into it.

The noise rose louder for a moment and few people made exclamations of victory,

"Who'd you bet on?" Matt spoke and Light turned his head from the crowd to the group he was with and saw Matt grinning at L who was smirking in a lopsided manner, Light's mind spun at the sight, so devious yet childlike.

"You know he bet on his favorite crazy motherfucker." Mello said.

"Naturally." L added and they all laughed.

"You're…betting on the fight?" Light enquired, always at the ready to ask questions.

"Duh…why else would they be fighting?" Matt had another 'duh' moment for Light.

"Who is this?" the other dark haired male asked as he slipped his spectacles from his face and looked Light over.

"This is Light." L spoke and they all looked at him, including Light who had been staring at the condescending look the other male was giving him.

No further words came from L who was crouched on the couch with his own sneakers on and staring at the crowd, there was suddenly loud music drowning out most of the people and the lights flickered to more standard room lighting when the fluorescents at the center of the fighting circle went down.

Light turned around to watch what was happening, he wanted to see who had been fighting, L had placed a bet on someone. People dispersed and Light's eyes fell to the blood spotting the concrete basement floor where they had been fighting.

"This is barbaric." He mumbled to himself and brushed some of his hair back from his face and then stood up, glancing back at the group, they weren't interested in him, all having a conversation about something. L was drinking a beer, Matt and Mello were as well and Near had his strange choc milk concoction while the other male had a glass of a clear liquid with lemon in it.

Light's mind told him it was Vodka, he wanted so badly to know how old these people were to have 'fight club' parties and drink alcohol. He walked from the group and further into the basement, passing people who gave him side glances. Light just continued through the crowd of people, baggy clothes, tight clothes, leather, jeans, tank shirts, spikey accessories, short skirts, some tattooed and some pierced...the variety of people was amazing.

Light saw the large cooler with the dry ice making the top of it seem foggy, it was in fact just a large old freezer filled with water and large chunks of ice. When he walked over and looked inside he saw many siders and beers, the cooler was full and Light assumed that since there was a large amount of people there, they probably had more alcohol somewhere. The problem was, while Light wasn't adverse to alcohol, he'd had the occasional glass of champagne or wine with his family when they offered it to him on special occasions, he didn't think it was wise to go on a teenage drinking binge.

"Light…" he turned around and froze, facing Beyond who had blood running from the corner of his mouth, he was shirtless and very ripped on his upper body, Light gave him a stiff once over and made a mental note not to go getting into any fights with the wiry well-built man…or boy, he didn't know.

Beyond had blood smeared over his chest, not a large amount but definitely done by a hand since scratches and red bruises went with it and his hair looked wet and sweat laden, that with the grin on his face made him look crazy.

_'Favorite crazy motherfucker'_

Light blinked,

"B-beyond, you were in that fight?" he asked the taller guy and Beyond brought a hand up in which he held a beer and he sipped it,

"Yeah…" was all he said, "…who'd you bet on?"

Light frowned,

"No one…" he answered honestly, Beyond seemed very normal right then, despite how he looked, he was talking without any hostility.

There was some silence and Light found Beyond staring at him for a moment and then he smirked,

"It's good you came, L likes you and if you like him too, you'll make the effort to show it to him." He started to walk away and Light didn't know what possessed him but he grabbed Beyond's forearm and he regretted the contact, he felt like it was dangerous to make physical contact with any of them after what had happened previously.

He let go when Beyond turned around and raised an eyebrow, Light could feel Beyond's sweat in his palm and he looked around awkwardly,

"Um…what, do you mean by make the effort?"

Beyond's grin scared him a little, Light knew he was just giving them all what they wanted, asking these questions which made them aware of what he was thinking and Light still didn't know himself why he cared whether L was impressed by him…he didn't like L like **that**. He was just curious.

Beyond stepped closer and Light only then remembered the cooler was right behind him and he was pressed against it, it was cold through the back of his jeans but Beyond had heat radiating off him as he pressed against Light just barely,

"…your too jumpy for one thing…have a drink and loosen up…"

Everyone was telling him to loosen up.

"Stop being so tight assed…save that for when its useful…" he winked and caught Light's chin with his hand, raising Light's head up and looking in to his nervous face, the many people around them didn't even notice what was happening or seem to care. Light understood the innuendo and he froze, Beyond was talking about…anal se-

He pushed Beyond's hand away and narrowed his eyes,

"...I'm not saving anything…" he retorted, not really thinking it over and B smirked.

"Well that's fine too…I'll just let L know an-"

"No!" Light again grabbed Beyond when he was about to leave, "…I didn't mean it like that…wait. Just tell L…what…?" his eyes widened a fraction.

He was severely confused, he actually had no idea what was going on and Light began worrying that he really was in over his head.

"I don't know what he sees in you…" Beyond shook his head, "…there's a lot of alcohol here, why don't you try some." He pulled his arm out of Light's hold and finally walked away unhindered.

The smell of his sweat and some faint blood lingered in Light's nostrils and he breathed through his mouth to avoid the smell for the moment.

He turned back to the cooler behind him and reached in, lifting out a beer and unscrewing the cap so he could get something cool down his throat and he did with a generous gulp of the ice cold bitter beverage, followed by two more gulps.

* * *

He remained at the cooler for the duration of a full song and had opened a second beer by then, his skin was getting sticky from the heat in the basement and the people, dancing and laughing and drinking, Light ran a damp hand through his hair, it was wet from the condensation on the bottle but it didn't bother him. He felt a little calmer once he had finished the second bottle and he decided to go back to the group instead of standing at the drinks spot like an alcoholic.

Light entered back into the first part of the basement by coming through two concrete pillars and his eyes widened when he spotted a blonde, on top of a table in the place of the empty fighting spot, it was a girl, she had breasts to prove that statement and the lace bra she wore concealed nothing from the eye really.

He stared as she stripped her skirt off and flung it across the room and some guy hooted when he caught it, this left her in her lace panties and long black knee high stockings complete with platform shoes. She crouched down on the table, legs spread and several guys reacted as she pushed her hair back from her face, revealing thick black eye makeup and dark lipstick, her earrings and accessories were all black and she had a tattoo on her back running below her panty line that looked tribal.

All of this paled in comparison to the fact that the girl was clearly drunk and defiling herself, unsafely, in front of many drunken men. He turned away from her when she unclipped her bra strap and he was bumped out of the way by a few guys and even some other girls who moved closer, Light's stomach churned, the girl was nuts.

'What the hell is wrong with these people?' he thought with some panic as he pushed out of the crowd and walked toward the corner, stepping over her tiny little leather skirt and shaking his head. He raised his eyes again when he reached the place where L had been and he lost his breath in shock when he saw Matt and Mello. They were the only ones left on the couches, Mello was straddling Matt and apparently they were competing for who could eat each other the quickest, or choke one another with the amount of tongue Light saw pass between them.

Some distant part of his brain that he **hated** sent a jolt of arousal right to his groin but it was ignored as he glanced around and then turned back to the couple, if they were a couple, he doubted it.

"Um…excuse me…M-m-ello!" he spoke over all the noise, his skin getting stickier by the minute from the heat and the panic he felt he was in.

They came apart from each other's mouths and Mello turned to look at him clearly intoxicated and grinning, his lips were strawberry red and wet from the kissing abuse, his hair still in his loose pony tail, Light averted his gaze. Matt didn't stop, his hand smacking Mello's backside and making the leather emit an obscene snapping sound when he did and he kissed Mello's neck.

"Where the hell have you been?" Mello laughed while he asked frowning and smiling.

"…um…where's L?" Light didn't bother answering the fruitless question, he was still there wasn't he?

Mello used a hand to push Matt off his neck and he looked around him, as if just realizing L wasn't there and then he shrugged,

"I dunno…" he looked back at Light, whose hands had settled on his hips impatiently and his skin had a light layer of sweat shining over it, "…maybe he went to take a piss…he was here with B just now an-"

"Go fucking look for him pretty boy!" Matt waved a hand at him and then grabbed Mello's face and continued what he had been doing before, Light turned away and took a few deep breathes.

He caught sight of the blonde girl, topless and laying half way down on the table as one guy poured his drink over her chest and another licked it off her…

'Jesus…' Light almost screamed inside when he saw what the boy was licking in public, '…this is a mad place…with mad people…' he was definitely in a panic.

The music was so loud and Light's head was spinning as he walked back passed the concrete pillars further into the basement, he didn't actually know where the bathrooms were.

He tried to avoid seeing all the different couples making out, their genders varied and no one seemed to care, guy and girl, guy and guy, girl and girl…these people.

He saw white spiked hair and he walked forward quickly, passed the cooler and into a less lit part of the large noisy basement, pushing some drunken people out of the way, he grabbed Near's shoulder and the smaller teen turned around and stared at him apathetically.

Light decided that since Near didn't like him, his approach was key, although with the beer he wasn't used to moving like liquid mercury through his panicked blood stream and some faint weed remnants in his body, Light didn't know if it would come out all that good.

"Hey Near…" he looked around and then smiled at Near.

The pale grey eyes that stared at him judged him like he was the weird one, then again, Matt had called him a 'freak' and being the minority right then, he was in no position to disagree with that.

"You shouldn't be here…you look like you're going to pass out." Near informed him, managing to barely raise his voice and still be heard over the music, granted it was a bit softer all the way at the back. He nearly agreed with that statement but instead sat down on the older sofa Near was sitting on and glanced at the couple on the floor sitting against the wall across from them and…well, they weren't just kissing.

He looked back to Near who was texting back and forth on his tiny cell phone and seemed extremely uninteresting in Light's presence. He knew he should have just asked his first question about where the bathrooms were but just like with Matt that first day when all of this rubbish started, he was compelled to ask more than he needed to.

"…why are you at a…what is this, a party? Why are you at a place like this, it doesn't seem like you?"

"You don't have enough respect from me to get any answers or assume that you know me, what do you want Yagami?" He said in a bored tone and clicked away at another message.

Light frowned,

"You don't even know me, how do you not respect me?"

"Because I don't know you and already I don't like you."

"That doesn't even make sense."

"Doesn't it?"

Light blinked and then shook his head and brushed his once perfectly set hair back again so it just became more tangled from the sweaty dampness. It was like talking to a wall that didn't like him when he spoke to Near and that thought didn't even make any sense. Light just decided to move on, ignoring the moans coming from the girl and guy just a few short meters away,

"I'm looking for a bathroom…I need to urinate."

Near smirked,

"You're such a freak." Near piped up and Light sighed, so tired and dizzy.

"There's a bathroom upstairs, in the house." Was all he said and then he glanced at Light, "…please go away from me now."

Light was hoping for more accurate directions but with that being all he'd get, he stood up and wobbled somewhat, half affected by his low alcohol tolerance and half by his surroundings, he walked all the way back through to the first room of the basement.

This time he knew not to look for the blonde girl and not to look to Matt and Mello, he went straight for the stairs and gripping the wooden banister on one side, he pulled himself up the stairs.

It felt like he would fall backwards as he walked into the dark upper part with the noise banging on below him, but when he found the key in the door after some fumbling and tried turning it, he realized it was open and he practically threw himself out of the suffocating place.

Light was by himself right then and he fell to the cool tiles and crawled from the door, kicking it shut with his foot and rubbing his hands over his sweaty face and neck as he sat on the floor staring at the dark wooden door.

It was quiet in the house and the air was cool from the open kitchen door just around the corner. Light slowly got to his feet and pushed his damp hair from his face, peering into the dark living room and seeing nothing more than an expensive lay out of furniture, he turned around and walked into the hall way where the stairs were but passed the horrible door to the basement and rather to the bottom of the large staircase leading up into the house.

He did need the bathroom, he'd wanted to find L but logic had rushed into his mind the minute he'd exited the basement and now he just wanted to flee, but the walk home was long and he needed to…he didn't want to think of the word 'urinate' again.

He grimaced and started making his way up the stairs, determined to find a bathroom and rinse his face with some clean water as well.

The hall of the house was lavish yet simple and the place smelled clean and pleasant, he didn't know whose house he was wandering round in but he didn't care right then.

He'd get home and make a list of 'Ways to Avoid' the people who brought him there and wanted him there. As curious as he was about L and what Beyond really meant earlier, he thought it'd be best to be in public and safe from the disgusting display he'd been witness to just moments ago if he ever wanted to speak to them again.

He wouldn't acknowledge that any of it had fascinated him, let alone turned him on a little…Mello was simply too androgynous. But even as he lied to himself about not telling the difference between Mello being a guy or a girl, he didn't feel any better.

'Mello is a guy.' He admitted to himself because he knew that held some of the appeal…if not all?

He was about to break out in another panicked cold sweat, way to find out you might be a homosexual, when he heard noises…sexual noises…filtering through the hall.

'Can't I just avoid this altogether?' he thought with a deep frown and decided that even though he was against it, he'd just piss in the bushes on the walk home.

A few steps back toward the stairs and Light heard that consonant moaned out and he blinked…yes he'd just heard someone moan 'L'.

'Oh no…walk away Light.' He tried to force himself to walk toward the stairs but to no avail.

Asking himself mentally what the fuck was wrong with him, Light turned around and looked along the empty hall, the few doors all revealed no light beneath them, except one as if it wasn't obvious enough with the muffled noises coming from that door.

He moved quietly and when he reached the door he heard laughing and breathing all muffled, Light closed his eyes a moment as he got to his knees and he braced himself. Very carefully he leaned toward the door and almost pressing his face to the key hole he looked inside the room that was probably the bathroom L had disappeared to.

Light's stomach was suddenly in his throat and his brain sent several very confused messages to his body all at once and he threw himself back from the door and shut his eyes. He didn't realize at first that he'd actually swore out aloud but when he did he wasted no time in getting to his feet and running down the hall.

'I have to go home, I have to get away from here…from them…they were…oh my god…I was **right**, I…have to get out of here.' He thought in a hurry as he jumped the stairs 2 at a time and landed at the bottom with a skid, using the banister to help himself on his continual run back.

Back passed the basement door, back passed the living room and into the kitchen, Light bolted straight out of the door and went running at full speed around the house to the front yard.

Down the driveway and onto the quiet suburban streets he continued to run and Light didn't stop not once until his chest hurt so bad and he had to look around and decide if he was lost as he tried to catch his breath.

He'd tried to follow the exact direction he'd walked there in earlier but with his skin all sweaty and prickling in the cool night air and the slight tizzy feeling he from the alcohol in his blood stream, Light was floored right then. At the end or beginning of some suburban area, he sat down on the pavement and then lay down when sitting wasn't enough.

'I'm dizzy…I need to concentrate.' "I need to concentrate…just think straight Light, you have an IQ worthy of a decent train of thought." He spoke aloud, trying to hear himself out aloud and grasp the silence of the streets. After 5 minutes passed, he sat up again and pressed his hands into the harsh concrete as he leaned back and stared at the street lamps and people's dark houses. The houses were smaller, which meant he'd definitely gotten out of the area he was in earlier.

"I'm okay…I'm okay…" he didn't want to cry, at least not yet, he wanted to be home and safe and clean and falling asleep with his perfectly orderly room and the smell of his lavender air freshener. He got to his feet and dusted his hands on his jeans, he felt dirty and sweaty and violated to a certain extent, he'd seen way more than he needed to by looking through the key hole.

He walked for a good ten minutes and sighed for the hundredth time, he didn't know if he was lost but nothing looked familiar so he most likely was.

Light hadn't taken his cell phone when he'd rushed from the house, nor had he taken any money, he didn't why where they were concerned all of his logic went out of the window. This was the second time he was left stranded because of those people and this time he was worse off. He rubbed his face and then continued walking, having no other choice.

He heard a car coming at quite a pace and glanced back when the engine roared louder, he could only see headlights and then the car slowed down and Light's heart beat faster with worry, that was one of the cars parked in the yard earlier and it was slowing down as it neared him. He started running, for absolutely no good reason and he heard the car pick up speed again very slightly and come up to drive along the sidewalk at his pace.

"What the hell are you doing?" he heard the amusement in the familiar voice and he glanced to the red head leaning over from the driver's seat to look at Light.

"Just leave me alone, you guys are all…" he didn't want to insult the crazy red head and get run over, "…your all too different from me…" he finished and slowed down running, he was so tired.

Matt slowed the car down, the engine purring in its mint condition as it trailed after Light,

"What happened, I thought you were having fun?" he continued speaking to Light who had fallen into a quick walk.

"Fun? How is anything that was happening there, fun? It was drinking and sex…and public indecency and-"

"Yeah…yeah, shut the hell up and get in the car." Matt said sounding bored like Near had.

Light glanced at the red head who was watching the empty road as he trailed after Light, who abruptly stopped walking and Matt just barely noticed in enough time to stop close to where Light did.

Light obliged and walked forward and bit and looked into the car,

"You really think for a second I'd get into a car with you? You held a knife to my neck…are you even aware of how stupid I'd have to be to get into the car." He stared at the goggles which hid Matt's eyes but he knew the red head was looking at him.

"…uh…okay. Well, your about 27 blocks in the wrong direction from your street and I have a car and I came to find you to make sure you get home, you don't know where you are because your new here and a young lost boy walking towards a highway, can you say abduction? So, stupid…get in." matter of fact.

Light's entire body fell from its haughty feeling and he grabbed the car door handle after some mild hesitation and pulled it open, getting in and slamming the door.

The car continued to idle and when they didn't move for a while Light turned to look at Matt with his arms folded over his chest.

"Why aren't you driving?" he asked.

Matt lifted the goggles into his hair and turned to Light with very serious green eyes that had very dark rings around them,

"Let's clear something up Light Yagami, I don't really have a problem with you, I just think you're a normal twat like everyone else that I usually dislike, but if you **ever** even think of slamming my car door again, I will break at least one major bone in your body."

Light stared wide eyed and then swallowed,

"I'm just gonna g-get out now-"

"Stay fucking put…I'm taking you home to prissy land where you belong." He put his goggles back on, the engine roared and Light grabbed the seat tightly as Matt did a very unorthodox U-turn in the wide street and revved off back the way he and Light had come.

The drive was noisy because the windows were open and the car engine was loud, Matt was smoking and he kept his eyes on the quiet roads the whole way.

Light finally recognized the intersection when they came down the street and some relief filled his chest, a part of him was worried about ending up in a body bag, he really didn't trust Matt.

Yet, he got into the car…rather easily.

Matt rode up on the curb and switched the car off along one of the road sides of the intersection,

"I don't wanna drop you off in a car…it'll wake your parents up, you can creep in quietly and wash that 'I'm fucked up' look off your face before they see you at least." Matt informed as he inhaled from his cigarette, he still wore tight gloves which Light didn't get.

"Okay…yeah…uh, thanks, Matt." Light found himself being polite since his heart was beating normally and he was very much still alive.

"L said you were outside the bathroom upstairs." Matt piped up before Light could leave the car, his hand on the handle, gently of course, lest he have his bones broken.

He froze and his skin prickled again at the memory,

"Yeah, I didn't see anything." He said all too quickly.

Matt smiled but didn't look at Light,

"You are a really shitty liar, I really don't know why L thinks you'd fit in…" he shook his head, "…so what then, you saw him and B screwing?" he went straight to the point.

Light blinked at him,

"I'm just gonna go now…" his voice seemed so small even to himself.

"Hey!" Light shouted when the seat dropped back and he was thrown off balance, in the next second Matt was on top of him and Light dropped back on the seat so he was lying flat to put some distance between them, Matt was balancing above him, hovering and staring down at him but Light couldn't see his eyes, the cigarette was still between his lips.

The strong smell of smoke reached Light's senses and he coughed slightly but Matt wasn't too close and wasn't touching him at all, just trapping him.

"…Matt…can I please just go home." He couldn't believe he was almost pleading with this guy.

He was shadowed by Matt's form as he lay back on the seat but he saw a smirk creep onto Matt's mouth around the cigarette.

Light held his breath when Matt lowered closer, but didn't touch Light, he had simply shifted his weight to one arm to remove his cigarette with a free hand and he glanced away from Light to flick it out of the window. Some instinct, very weak in comparison to his body's paralysis, shouted for him to push Matt off, but he just couldn't do it.

Then he looked back to Light and smirked again,

"I know what you saw because I know what they were doing…"

"H-h-ow did you kn-n-now?" Light asked, he could smell the cigarette on Matt's breath at their proximity.

"…because they do it often…"

Light took a shallow breath and swallowed before he spoke again, even more nervous,

"Do you and Mello…?" he practically whispered.

Matt grinned,

"Yeah…he's my favorite…" Matt added.

"F-f-favorite?" what the hell did that mean.

Matt didn't answer.

"How…old are you…?" Light's brain never failed to scrape up the very deepest of his questions.

"Me…" Matt seemed very relaxed considering how he was supporting his weight above Light without contact, except that Light could just barely feel Matt's leg kneeling between his own, "…why?" he looked like he wanted to laugh.

"B-because, you guys are…doing very…leading very…" he didn't finish but Matt's amused chuckle let him know that the other boy followed what he meant.

"I'm 20." He obliged and Light suddenly felt like he judged Matt less.

"You actually look relieved." Matt informed him, "…your weird." He added dully.

"B-beyond…how old is he?" Light was starting to relax strangely enough, disregarding his position.

Matt stared at him and then raised his eyebrows,

"B is my age, Mello is 21 and L is 17. Near is…I don't actually know, the kid's looked the same since I met him, maybe…17 or older." He gave Light all the answers instead of dragging it out.

"Oh…" was all Light said, the bit about Near creeped him out and Mello being the oldest surprised him.

Light gasped and tensed when Matt pressed against him and leaned down so his mouth barely pressed to Light's,

"Just relax…the sooner you get used to this…the sooner you might figure out what you want." He spoke against Light's mouth.

Light breathed out a 'no' and shook his head but Matt just pressed another kiss to his open mouth and Light gripped the car seat.

He felt it very slowly when Matt kissed him and Light's breath hitched, he made a panicked sound when his mouth was intruded and covered by Matt's, the intense taste of nicotine burning his throat as it was transferred.

Matt pulled back after a short while and Light was breathing heavy and had his eyes screwed shut,

"Kiss back…try it for real and if you don't like it then…"

"But you said that already…" he breathed out and opened his eyes to stare at the goggles, "…you said if I didn't like what you had to offer-" he tried to defend.

"You didn't stick around to find out what we had to offer."

"I don't want it."

Matt's mouth set in a straight line and he tilted his head, Light was worried because without seeing eyes he really couldn't even try to figure out what Matt was thinking.

Matt sat up, balancing on his knee and Light was sure he was free when that happened, but it was the opposite, Matt took his shirt off and revealed his own well-toned upper body, low riding jeans kept up by a large buckled belt finished off the sight quite nicely.

Matt came back down with more aggression pressing their lower halves together and very obviously grinding Light into the seat while he rested his forearms at the sides of Light's head on the seat. Light could smell Matt's own body scent mixed with very nice cologne and it made his head spin and his stomach lurch when his brain threw out its arousal warnings.

'…why…is this turning me on!' he screamed at himself and shut his eyes again but not his mouth when Matt kissed him again, Light tried to squirm but only added to the grinding Matt was doing so well and making his body go against all the things he was telling himself.

He didn't want this but wow…Matt smelled so good.

Matt pulled back,

"You don't have to be shy…touch me. I want you to get there on your own…" he spoke against Light's mouth again, "…just consider this an experiment for you to learn from."

Of course it was an experiment…but Light didn't quite realize that the fact that he was willing to experiment already meant…he was interested.

Matt kissed him again and Light very hesitantly placed his hands on Matt's torso sides, feeling the hot skin and toned lats, his hands shook. Matt kiss was really not moving at a slow pace and Light wasn't really kissing back but he couldn't keep up anyway.

Trying to focus on everything at once…Matt grinded against him and Light's tongue voluntarily brushed back against Matt's without him realizing it, the lips against his own curved into a smile.

A cell phone rang and all at once, Matt pulled back and sat up, licking his lips absently as he answered, Light lay completely frightened by everything his body was feeling. He tried to focus on Matt's words, something about 'yes, I'm dropping him off and I'll tell you how it went later'.

It was like a conspiracy.

"Hey…" Matt leaned over him again and with slightly watery eyes, though not too obvious, he stared up at the goggles that hid the sickly sleep depraved eyes, "…I gotta go. Come by the skate park Wednesday at around 5pm, if you don't show up, then we leave you alone."

That was the end of it, Matt got off him and didn't bother to put his shirt on and Light got out of the car and stood to the side of the car before Matt drove off the curb and did another illegal U-turn back up on the road, without any acknowledgment to Light, he sped off and drove out of sight.

Light turned and started the walk along his own street, it was about 15 minutes to his house if he dragged his feet. He wiped his mouth a few times and his hands against his jeans, that smell was in his nose and the taste of nicotine was in his mouth.

'I wanna go home to Japan…these people are crazy…' he hadn't been there very long but he felt like he was being torn apart.

And was possibly gay? He wanted to cry.

Light didn't know what he was gonna do about his maybe being gay and maybe having been sexually assaulted…more than once, right then. He just wanted to take a shower and sleep the night off.


	7. Oh, Godamnit

AN: **Need help urgently with this story! I don't know if anyone has it (I really hope so) but I have completely lose chapter 18 of this story! Its the chapter right before I break of into L's POV, I cannot find it and so when I get to that chapter I cannot continue! If anyone has saved it, please contact me!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

* * *

When Light came downstairs the following morning managing to look okay despite his bad night, he was a little surprised to find his father sitting in the kitchen at the table, sipping coffee and reading a newspaper.

"Dad, what are you doing home?" he asked because his father usually worked on a Saturday and even Sundays. Soichiro looked up from his paper and smiled, his mustache moving as his mouth curled,  
"Good morning Light, I have the day off…it's nice that I get one or two Saturday's off isn't it? I was thinking we'd all go out today, I haven't taken your mother out in a while and I'm sure you'd like to see the mall here. I know Sayu would…apparently its massive…" he laughed dryly and sipped his coffee.

Light was just putting a single teaspoon of sugar into his black coffee when his father laughed, the man sounded chipper yet he was usually so stoic. He turned around and walked over to the table, glad to have such a random distraction as his father being at home making conversation because Light had a lot on his mind and he didn't want to think about anything.

The night before he'd crept inside quietly and showered and lay in bed afterward…he cried a bit and thought it over and over and over in his head. He hadn't come to any conclusion though and eventually at around 3 am or so, he passed out.

_'…what If I'm gay?'_ he thought to himself, frowning as he sat down and sipped his coffee.

"Light, are you alright?" his father's voice reminded him that he was trying to distract himself.

Light looked at his father and smiled as he put his cup down,

"I was just thinking of how happy you seem working here in America…you like it better than Japan?" he offered his polite son like smile to his father, covering his turmoil perfectly.

Soichiro nodded,

"Yes, I suppose I do." He agreed, "And how are you getting on at school? Made any friends?"

Light averted his gaze quickly and lifted his cup again, ignoring the shame that wanted to bring a blush of embarrassment to his face. Kissing, assault and being fondled by boys was not something he wanted to share as his most recent activities in the states,

"Not really, I've met a few people. But I have joined the soccer team…" he told his father, feigning enthusiasm.

"That's great! I'm glad you're being so active Light." He nodded while smiling.

Light was really glad that his mother walked in right then since he had blushed easily when the thought of the night before, being so active, came to his mind.

Matt's smell still lingered and he remembered that he'd been touching the older male back and even partially kissing back.

_'I'm losing it…'_ he rubbed his hand over his eyes and then sipped his coffee again, a bigger gulp.

"Good morning dear, Light." She greeted them both as she went straight to fixing breakfast.

Light smiled even though she wasn't looking at him,

"Morning mother." He said and saw her glance over and smile.

"What time did you get in last night, Light?" she enquired pleasantly.

Light was never scolded really since he was known for being very responsible so he just looked a little guilty to seem like he felt bad,

"Sorry mom, I think it was about one o clock."

She shook her head,

"Ah well, as long as you're okay and came home safe. Try not to let it happen again or Sayu might complain about her 7 o clock curfew." She laughed in a motherly way.

Light turned back to his father when Soichiro stood up and walked over to Sachiko, Light's eyes followed and he was a bit stunned when his parents shared a small greeting kiss, that was new.

Light looked away and dragged the abandoned newspaper over to himself, still needing a distraction, he flipped to the cartoons for some dull amusement.

"Don't make any breakfast, let's go out as a family."

He heard his father say and after some small talk they agreed and Light felt a light hand on his shoulder, it was his mother,

"Light, will you wake your sister please and get ready, we're going to go out for breakfast." She sounded very pleased and Light finished his coffee and smiled,

"Sure…" he said as he stood up, she took his cup from him and he thanked her before walking from the kitchen through to the stairs and ascending.

Light walked by Sayu's bedroom door and knocked on it loudly,

"Wake up Sayu, we're going out." He said loudly when he heard her groan.

Light continued walking and turned into his own room, closing the door behind him and sitting down on his bed with a sigh. In truth Light wasn't fond of going anywhere with his family, they bored him almost to death, but once again he reminded himself that he needed to keep his mind focused on anything besides the past Friday's events.

With that in mind, he stood up and gathered some cool clothes, because the weather was murder, before walking out of his room with a towel to go and shower…again.

* * *

They all left the house about an hour later, Sayu talking excitedly in Japanese with their parents, dressed in her 'cutest' outfit as Light heard her exclaim when she came running down the stairs. He had opted for a plain white shirt and a blue button up shirt over it, a pair of denim jeans and the pair of Vans that his mother had bought him despite his protests.

He figured if he was annoyed with his shoes and his company for the day, he'd have no time to think of anything else…except…the shoes looked quite nice and were very comfortable.

They all got into his the car and Light rested back, neatening his hair absently as they reversed, Sayu opening her window as they drove down the street, she yelled a greeting to a friend and the girl waved back happily.

Light rolled his eyes and sighed quietly and then narrowed his eyes a bit as they reached the intersection, the sun was bright and people were everywhere but he only looked at one spot, the side of the road where they'd been parked the night before.

_'Like a school girl parked off with a boyfriend…'_ he thought bitterly and averted his gaze as they turned off onto the road that went the same way Light had walked the previous night, he knew that if he looked out of Sayu's window he'd be able to see the skate park, so he deliberately didn't look that way. But as they drove Light was able to make out the direction he'd gone the night before and he grimaced when he saw the highway after some time of driving, he'd been headed in the completely wrong direction the previous night, just like Matt had said.

* * *

Breakfast at the mall had been okay and the food was good and afterward Soichiro had told them they could all buy something which made Sayu perfectly excited, she loved the idea of shopping. They were all walking around the mall, his father was carrying his mother's shopping bag while Sayu insisted on stopping in every store. They were standing outside a boutique waiting for the young girl when Light glanced around absently and saw familiar untidy hair, he did a double take and looked back where he'd seen it, but it was just some other guy with black hair.

_'I'm becoming paranoid about this…' _he groaned inwardly and looked back to his parents as they looked at some of the boutique clothes through the window.

The sound of Sayu's voice brought all of them from their doings and Light turned to look at his sister coming out of the store, she was chattering about something or the other with another girl. Light looked at the slightly taller girl beside his sister and his eyes widened, heart skipping a beat and nausea settling in his stomach.

It was the girl from the party, he still remembered her naked chest and the sight of different guys all licking at her…chest. He turned pale and then red in the face, glancing at his parents who came to stand closer,

"Sayu, who is your friend?" their mother asked.

Sayu smiled,

"This is Misa-misa." She smiled over at the blonde, blue eyed girl who was also wearing a beaming smile.

Light silently noted that the name was the same as the name of the boutique.

The girl smiled broadly at his parents and put her hand out to shake with them,

"Hi hi! I'm Misa Amane! It's wonderful to meet you!" she said far more loudly than was necessary and giggled.

Her voice made Light cringe more than the previous night's memory and beside that, she looked nothing like she had the night before. She wore a mid-thigh white skirt and a red T shirt with 'I love Geeks' printed in text on the front. Her shoes were slightly heeled boots so Light could tell she was on the short side, her makeup was subtle and her lips were clear and glossy.

The night before she'd been so heavily make up'd and dressed so scantily he could hardly believe this bright blue eyed girl was the same person and yet he just knew it was, her face was very memorable, she was a very pretty girl.

_'Slutty, pretty girl…'_ he thought to himself when his parents said hello to her with smiles.

"This is my brother, Light!" Sayu's voice made Light focus on her and then the blonde when she grinned at him and Light couldn't see any recognition in her eyes, she didn't seem to know him.

"Hello Light…my, you are a cutie!" she giggled and Light was irritated when she entered his personal space and pinched his cheek. Light's father frowned but Sachiko was less perturbed by it,

"Do you go to school with Sayu, Misa?" she enquired politely.

Misa spun around from Light to his mother and her pig tailed hair twirled with her almost hitting Light in the face,

"Oh, me? No, no, I'm 22…I finished school a long time ago." She used her hands to gesture this.

Light raised an eyebrow at that and Sachiko did too,

"Oh, how do you know Sayu?" she smiled again politely.

"Misa-misa owns this boutique! She says I can have a 30% discount on anything I want whenever I shop here!" she seemed thrilled and Misa did too,

"Yes! Of course, Sayu is adorable, anything she wears will have heads turning, she'll be like a voluntary model for 'Misa-Misa'!" she walked over and put an arm around Sayu's shoulders.

Light saw how his sister's eyes lit up, the last thing he wanted was Sayu looking at this Misa person like a role model, then it occurred to him that considering how he'd seen her dress, he wouldn't doubt her store offered similar clothes.

"Why don't we take a look at the store?" Light asked quietly, looking specifically at his father who seemed to understand what he meant, not liking Misa's skirt even at that common length.

It was a disappointment though because the store had very normal fashions, dresses and skirts, hats and heels and all the accessories a girl would usually love, nothing promiscuous like what Misa had worn at the party. With that, Sayu went on to look at clothes while Misa shared her opinion on how the different clothes would suit her with whatever accessories.

Light was irritated very quickly with it and sat down in one of the fancy chairs in the store, his mother was trying on summer hats and his father was taking a work call outside.

It was when Sayu went back into the change rooms that Misa slinked up to Light, sitting herself down in his lap very suddenly and making Light freeze in shock,

"…you look familiar." She blinked her bright blue eyes at him.

Light's expression exuded annoyance and he not too subtly pushed her off his lap, but she managed to stop herself from falling on her butt and crossed her arms over her well-endowed chest,

"That's rude." She pouted.

Light stood up,

"It's rude to sit in someone's lap when that person did not invite you to do so and especially because you're a woman." He informed the shorter girl.

"I don't like to think that being a girl means I have to follow those stuffy old rules." Still pouting.

_'Obviously…'_ he thought again to her disgusting behavior.

"I'm 17, does sexual harassment of a minor fall into those stuffy old rules." He said back very coldly and gave her a distasteful once over.

"…god, you're such a stiff." She rolled her eyes but didn't seem bothered much by his coldness.

Light had no response so he just ignored her and glanced over at his mother, taking a dress into a change room, leaving him practically alone with this crazy girl.

"So I was saying that you look familiar." She clicked her long pink manicured nails against each other on one hand as she eyed him.

"I don't know you." Light said pointedly and crossed his arms over his chest, looking at her wearily.

"I've seen you…" she pushed her glossed lips out and made a face that Light could only assume meant she was thinking.

He sighed and looked around, then he heard her gasp and when he looked back she was grinning and half blushing,

"You were at that party last night! I was soooooo drunk!" she laughed and it frightened Light at how high pitched it was.

Light just narrowed his eyes at her when she placed her hands on her thin hips,

"I know you probably think I'm such a slut right? I can be a little wild…" she was giggling.

_'A little?'_ Light thought but he wouldn't say it aloud, he hadn't been raised to be rude to women.

"Excuse me…" he said in an annoyed tone and headed toward the door just when someone walked in and he nearly walked straight into them.

He didn't bother to apologize, instead he panicked and back stepped when the slightly taller blonde took his dark glasses off his face and grinned at Light,

"…Light, interesting meeting you here." He said sounding amused.

Misa was at Light's side so fast the brunette was stunned when she hugged him from the side,

"Do you know him Mello? He's so delicious, I want to keep him!"

Mello's laugh made him uncomfortable, the blonde tucked his hair behind his ear and very casually reached out and cupped Light's chin,

"My sister likes you…you should be afraid." He informed Light.

The young teen was usually good at remaining composed, but under the far too convenient circumstances of being in a shop of a relative to Mello and with his parents and sister there, he couldn't be, so he very rudely shoved Mello's hand away and pushed Misa off him,

"You people are all crazy…at least now I know why I don't like her, she's related to you." He said to Mello and walked away from them just as his mother and sister came into sight.

Light felt relieved, a moment later and his mother would have seen his fear.

Light turned to look back wanting to see if Mello was angry at his harsh words but he saw Mello walk behind the pay counter and go into a back room door while Misa went over to Sayu. His mother put the dress back and came over to him,

"Purple is not my color, makes me look like I'm preparing to die." She said in a joking way and Light smiled at her and laughed slightly to humor her.

Sayu went over to the counter and Misa went behind it, taking the clothing items and scanning them as they talked about the colors that were in at the moment. Mello came back out of the room just then, glasses pushing some of his open hair back out of his face. Light couldn't help it as his eyes swept over Mello's build as he came around from behind the counter, wearing a black T shirt that had 'necrophiliac' printed on it and black jeans with oldish skate sneakers, he looked good and Light hated that he even had that thought. But he did.

He looked away when Mello glanced at him and then at his mother and sister, Sayu recognizing him,

"Hello! Your Light's friend from last night! Mom, this is one of Light's friends who came to fetch him yesterday." She told Sachiko who looked at Mello and smiled a bit uncertainly.

Misa smiled too,

"He's my sexy little brother…" she added happily.

His shirt bothered Sachiko most because of what it said but Mello smirked at her and winked,

"Hi, Mrs. Yagami, Sayu, I'm Mello." He said to both of them and Light witnessed his good looks and cute smile make his mother relax. How perfectly awful…

It irked him that they could be so relaxed and pretend like nothing they'd done had happened, Misa was beaming and far too sweet and Mello was casual and un-perverted.

"That's an interesting name." his mother smiled and Light saw how his little sister was smiling, Mello was a good looking guy, his sister was bound to have crushes, but not on someone like Mello!

"Dad's waiting." He intervened a bit stiffly.

"Oh yes…" Sachiko said and took her purse out of her handbag to pay for Sayu's purchases.

Mello walked over to Light near the door,

"You think you're ever gonna get over yourself?" he half mumbled as tucked some hair behind his ear, "L's outside…" he smirked and Light's eyes widened slightly and he couldn't help blushing.

"We're going to hang out at Beyond's place…just watch DVD's and have some beer's, nothing too 'overwhelming'…why don't you join us?" he leaned against the wall near the exit.

Light glanced at his sister and mother engaged in more conversation with Misa, her mouth never stopped spewing words, it made him irritable. He turned his hazel eyes to Mello's blue,

"…listen, I don't know if you know about last night…"

Mello frowned,

"The party."

"Afterward…and you guys lied, you said it was game." He tried not to complain but he couldn't help it.

"Yeah, yeah, what of it? You mean when you saw what was going on in the bathroom?" he smirked at Light's discomfort.

"That and when Matt came to get me." He added sounding upset. "…what happened in the car."

"If you wanna hang out with us you have to loosen up." Mello shrugged, "And don't say you don't want to…" he said and Light noticed that even Mello spared a glance to see if anyone was listening to them.

It was the first time he'd seen anyone of them act conscious of themselves, but then again, besides Matt in broad daylight that time, he'd not been in 'common public' with anyone of them until then. Light frowned and sighed, feeling worried and confused and defeated all at once, he'd been asking himself why he'd been so…taken in by all this. He even felt more comfortable talking to Mello, like some part of him was adapting and deciding this wasn't so bad, getting used to it?

He'd never considered himself a sexually driven person, he wasn't dominated by hormones but this wasn't just about that, yes they were very…liberal with one another, but they were friends too, like when he'd seen them in the skate park and the cemetery.

"Listen, you guys…are too…old for me." He hated giving himself an age limit, but it felt like they just were and then again, the way they behaved scared him a bit.

"You know what's weird…I think you're too full of shit to hang out with us while L thinks you're just scared, which is it?"

"Neither…" Light mumbled softly because his mother and sister were walking over.

"Prove it." Mello grinned.

Sachiko came to stand beside Light,

"We're going now Light, are you coming?" she asked and Mello smiled at Light rather nicely.

Light didn't want to be suckered into this again but he wasn't pleased about being labeled chicken shit or full of shit.

Pride is a bitch.

"…Um, no mother, I'm going to go hang out with Mello, is that alright?"

"…oh, Mello can I hang out too!" Misa said loudly from the counter, blue eyes wide.

Mello glanced at his sister,

"No, it's just the guys." He said sounding a bit amused and he noticed when he glanced at Light he looked worried because he knew that Mello may very well have meant it when he said Light should be afraid of Misa liking him.

"Alright, we'll see you later then, not too late…come Sayu." Sachiko said and walked out, Sayu waving and smiling as she went out carrying her shopping bags.

When they disappeared, Light suddenly felt panic set in and he had the urge to tell Mello that he changed his mind and run after his family.

_'These people are crazy, what am I doing…why am I doing this to myself?'_ he glanced around and remembered Mello saying that L was outside.

L made him feel a little safer…even after what he'd seen through that key hole.

That reminded him again of what he was getting into.

Mello waited almost a minute just standing there with Light and staring at him while he tried not to freak out, the pop music in the shop filling the silence and Misa surprisingly uninterested in them while she was busy on her cell phone. Mello tilted his head and then pushed off the wall,

"Follow me…" he smirked and walked toward Misa and the counter, Light frowned but followed, like the night before because there was no point saying no after saying yes.

"I thought you said L was waiting outside…" he mentioned as Mello went behind the counter,

"Yeah he is…he's in the car." He walked past the other blonde who spared a glance at him and then when Mello gestured for him to follow, uncertainly, Light went behind the counter.

Misa stopped him by stepping in his way and she happily put her arms around his neck and hugged him,

"You're soooo cute…"

"Misa get off of him…" Mello's voice came through the door and Misa pouted and let him go,

"You're lucky my brother found you first…" she grinned, "…but we've shared before." and winked.

That statement disturbed him in so many ways and he quickly pushed past her and stepped into the back room, it wasn't too large and it was mostly boxes with clothes hanging out of some of them, a dresser with a large mirror and what looked like another door to what Light assumed was a toilet.

"Close the door." Mello said to him and Light glanced at the blonde who was sitting at the dresser, he closed the door after glancing out and walked over to Mello. His eyes widened when he saw the neat line of white powder on the dresser top and he frowned,

"I said I would hang out, I didn't agree to do drugs." He said quietly and very seriously.

"Light…this is a whole other world from what you know and if you're going to hang out with my kind...you have to embrace things." He said sounding bored, like he was explaining to a child.

Light shook his head,

"I never agreed to this." He said a bit more urgently, feeling like he needed to insist he had control.

Mello had closed a little silver tube after laying out another line and then he glanced up at Light,

"Look at it like this…I've been doing drugs for years, do I look sick, out of shape…do I look like an addict. Does Matt? Does L?" he raised a blonde eyebrow and took his glasses off his head and placed them down on the surface, "…I know Misa acts like she's on drugs but she doesn't look it and she does more coke than me." He laughed at that one.

Light frowned,

"What's your point?"

"Control…is a decision. You can decide to never do something or you can control absolutely everything you do." He stood up and Light was still frowning, it sounded like another challenge but then again, it made sense, Mello certainly didn't look like a drug addict.

_'Addiction is a state of mind…and I have control of my mind. Maybe not my body all the time…but my mind…'_ he sighed and shook his head.

Mello smiled,

"I'll make it easier for you…we'll make it a game. Matt loves games." He sat slightly on the dresser and Light made a sound of shock when Mello grabbed his shirt and pulled him forward, Mello's legs either side of him, "…I'll give you choices so you feel like you're more in control. You can either do one line of coke…or you can French me…" his blue eyes stared intently into Light's hazel eyes and Light was already shaking slightly being between Mello's legs.

Mello's hand released the handful of his shirt and ran down Light's lightly defined chest over his white cotton shirt, fingers tickling him slightly,

"Well?" Mello smirked.

Light's breath hitched,

"N..no cocaine." He said.

Mello smiled when he leaned forward and kissed Light, who had made his choice so he opened his mouth and kissed Mello back, his face contorted into a deep frown but still he kissed back, like he'd kissed girls…although never quite as full of tongue as this. Mello certainly had a way with kissing, so different to Matt but still so good.

_'Maybe it's because I'm kissing back?'_ he asked himself as he did his best to keep up, he was a conservative kisser, this was not the way he usually kissed but Mello's mouth was very demanding.

When Mello's hands slid up and pinched his nipples through his shirt Light yelped and almost jumped back, but Mello grabbed his shirt again and pulled his forward and back into a kiss and Light was trying to catch his breath between being kissed when finally Mello parted.

Light licked his lips and noticed Mello did the same only far more sensually, almost provocative,

"…hm…you'll come around. The choices will get more serious eventually though. Games have different levels." Mello stood up and then sat down in the chair and Light stood there shaking and frightened at his arousal while he watched Mello snort up the two lines of coke.

Light took some calming breaths and ignored how good it had felt to kiss Mello just now, deciding to check his cell phone idly until Mello got up and Light looked at him, eyes slightly watering from the burning sensation in his nasal cavity, Mello rubbed his nose a bit and smiled at Light,

"Let's go…" he grabbed his glasses and opened the door, they walked out while Misa was busy with a customer and she looked over at them,

"Bye Light sweet heart! I'll see you around."

Light glanced at her and walked to catch up to Mello who had long legs and walked very fast, so he had to walk faster.

He walked more or less beside Mello through the mall toward the exit, many girls looked at them and giggled, Mello smiling and winking making them giggle more. Once outside in the sun again Mello put his glasses back over his eyes and glanced at Light,

"The ladies like you Light, you have any girlfriends?"

Light glanced over at him as they crossed the parking lot,

"Two…I had two in the past but they were short term."

"You ever fuck em?" he asked as he walked passed a car coming toward them and Light kept up,

"…uh…yes."

"You liked it?"

Light gave him a side long glance,

"…it was okay."

Mello laughed and stopped suddenly at the front of a black Golf 6 GTI which didn't surprise Light, after seeing that house and Matt's car, he figured that they had money or at least one of them did.

"It was okay? Has sex not been good to you?" he asked as he walked around to the driver's side. Light looked in the car through the windscreen and saw L sitting in the passenger side, he seemed to be asleep with his head leaning back against the rest.

"Sex wasn't a big deal, that's all." He walked around to the other side and passed L's passenger door to the back. Mello was smiling as if he was drawing conclusions in his head and he pulled the door open with a grin, getting in. Light opened the back door and got in as well, pulling the door shut just after Mello pulled his shut. The car was cool and Light saw that the keys had been left in the ignition for the air con. He saw L glance at him at him in the mirror and then L looked at Mello who handed him the silver tube with the cocaine in it.

"I'll pick up more tomorrow, I took a small hit from it…B should have some anyway…" he mumbled.

L smiled and Light watched him lean over and kiss Mello's mouth sweetly,

"Thank you…" he said and settled back, "…hello Light, how are you?" he asked.

Light blinked and glanced at what he could see of L's shoulder,

"…fine. Yourself?" he couldn't help the nervousness in his voice.

"…are you joining us at Beyond's place?" he ignored the question.

"Uh, yeah, Mello invited me."

"I did…and Light says he isn't scared or full of shit, which means tonight he's gonna kick back." He glanced at Light.

"Would you like some, Light?" L's voice made Light look up again and he saw the silver container held up between two of L's thin white fingers.

"No, thank you." He said and remembered kissing Mello earlier.

Mello smiled and started the car, driving into the slow parking lot traffic and eventually out into the roads and he started speeding up.

Once they were on the highway Mello turned the CD player down,

"So, Light…you don't like sex?" he asked as he drove.

Light looked at him turning from the window,

"I never said that…I'm just more academically inclined." He answered honestly.

L laughed quietly,

"…that's very geek like." He said and it sounded ridiculous coming from someone who spoke such proper English but Light still felt offended. Once again he was being laughed at for being what most people usually appraise him for.

"Must be why Misa likes you…she has about 20 different shirts and tops with that 'I like Geeks' printed on it. But then again she's got the IQ of an 11 year old…she's my half-sister by the way…" he laughed and L did as well.

Light didn't say anything and just sighed and looked back out of the window.

"Either of your girlfriends ever gave you a blow job?" Mello picked up where he'd left off.

Light blushed and shook his head,

"No, Mello…"

"You ever had a blow job from anyone?"

Light frowned,

"What sort of question is that? Obviously not if not from my ex-girlfriends."

Mello made an indecisive face and Light rolled his eyes slightly,

"Not in my world anyway."

"Your world sucks." L spoke up.

Mello laughed and nodded,

"Yeah…I agree, so would you like to be given a blow job?"

"Mello what is the relevance of this questioning?" Light asked, red in the face with embarrassment.

"I was offering." He smirked and L did as well.

Light turned four shades of red and settled back into his seat,

"I'm okay…thanks." He mumbled.

"It's either I give you a blow job…or you give me one…" Mello used it in his little game.

He saw Light panic and he turned pale very quickly in the mirror and he laughed,

"Relax…jesus christ…" he shook his head, "…we'll save that for a little later in the game, okay."

"What game?" L enquired.

"It's a choice game…in Misa's shop I gave him a choice. He either did a line of coke or he frenched me, he chose kissing because he doesn't want to do the coke. But I plan to make the choices a little more daring as we go along…" he told L.

"That's interesting…" L said sounding thoughtful.

"I never agreed to that…" Light mentioned.

"You did…the minute you kissed me back." He said matter of factly.

Light frowned but fell silent, deciding he would find a way out of this when the situation arose.

They turned into an underground parking of an apartment building and Mello parked the car near a back wall.

"Hey Light…grab the packet on the back seat with the DVD's, yea." Mello asked and Light did so.

They all got out and Light looked at L as they stood on the same side of the car and closed their doors, L was dressed in black jeans with lace-less sneakers and a plain grey T shirt and he also had sunglasses on but they were pushed up into his dark hair, leaving his eye color more visible than usual in the daylight.

L was a very attractive guy with unique facial features un-relatable to any specific origin.

He looked at Light and smiled at him and Mello smiled too as he locked the car,

"Kiss him Light…consider it a ritual." Mello prompted.

L looked at Mello,

"That won't be necessary…he hasn't quite decided where he stands yet." L said and walked past Light. Mello raised his eyebrows at Light and took his glasses off, Light frowned slightly and walked after Mello when he followed L toward the elevators.

* * *

When they walked along the 8th floor hall Light voiced a question,

"This is Beyond's apartment?"

Mello was walking more or less beside him,

"Sort of…L kind of lives here too."

"Where do you live?"

"I live on my own…not far from here." He answered.

"Matt?" Light pressed on, happy to get answers.

Mello laughed slightly,

"Matt lives in a big suburban home in uptown LA…"

"That one that the party was at…"

"No, that was Near's house...he lives with his mother…"

They reached the door and Light asked one final question,

"So if L sort of lives here…where else does he live?"

Mello glanced at him just before going in,

"L…he lives anywhere he wants to. But he mostly stays here when he can." He went inside.

Light was baffled, there were so many things he didn't know and so many things he assumed but he was really still clueless…

Walking inside and closing the door behind himself, Light looked around the very nice mostly open plan apartment, it was a studio apartment in its layout except there was a large wooden sliding door that led into what Light saw was a bedroom and then there was another one that Light could see lead to a toilet. There were no other doors, so it was a one bedroom apartment.

_'If L stays here most times…then he and Beyond are…like…'_ he frowned, remembering that the way Matt had spoken and the way they behaved meant that there were no exclusive couples among them, so Beyond was probably L's favorite.

Mello had taken the DVD filled bag from Light and went ahead to flop down on the couch next to Near, who was watching cartoons on the flat screen and L went into the open plan kitchen and took four beers out placing one on the counter.

"Light…" he said as he pushed one across the surface and Light reached out and stopped it with his hand just as Beyond came out of the bedroom.

Light looked at Beyond as he pulled a black tank shirt over his well-defined upper body and walked over, passing by Light and smacking his backside roughly, making him freeze and blink clutching the cold beer,

"Hey pretty…" he gave Light a toothy grin as he walked over to L who was opening his beer.

Light was still recovering from the none too gentle smack when he saw Beyond take L's slender chin in one hand and kiss him.

_'Consider it a ritual…'_ he reminded himself of what Mello said.

"What do you guys wanna watch first?" Mello piped up from the couch.

"Let's watch Avatar…" Near said randomly and he heard Mello mumble 'shut up'.

At this point Beyond had finished sucking the life out of L and he grabbed a beer from L's hands,

"…I don't give a fuck what we watch. Oh and Matt's not coming, did he tell you…?" he asked Mello as he walked over and sat in one of the leather couches, blue jean clad legs relaxed apart.

Light lifted the beer up and walked over to the couches when L did and he saw Mello nod,

"Yeah…I know." He said while taking the beer that L handed to him. Mello took the DVD box with Avatar in it from Near's hands and handed it to B,

"Let's watch this gay movie so whitey over here shuts the fuck up…" Mello said and looked at Near wiggling his tongue in a slightly vulgar manner at Near.

Light saw Near smile for the first time and roll his eyes,

"Thanks Mello…"

"Well…" Mello raised his eyebrows, tapping his cheek with a thin finger and Near leaned over placed a light kiss on the blondes cheek, it was short and almost sweet and then Near sat back and brought a leg up to his chest.

That was something Light considered an interesting development, that was the first he'd seen of Near being in 'that' specific way of their circle and it almost seemed like a shy thing for Near.

He certainly hadn't had any cheeks offered to him…just tongue and blow jobs…

Beyond's reaction also made him wonder because B smiled as he got up and walked passed Near, pinching his nose and making Near swear him jokingly. B put the disc into the player and walked over to pull the curtains closed which made the room slightly darker.

B sat in a single couch and Mello sat beside Near in the double, so the three seat couch was left and L set himself at one end of it. Light sat down on the other end and with a quiet sigh, he opened the beer cap and took a swig, preparing himself for what may come.

_'…maybe…this won't be so bad.'_


	8. Tight Wad Hill

**AN: Again, please if anyone has chapter 18, send it to me. Thanks.**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

* * *

Light heard a noise and he subtly jerked awake, blinking his hazel brown eyes a few times to adjust to the darkness around him. There was a blue glow with light flashes from the changing images on the television casting some light across Beyond's lounge area. He didn't move his body from where he half leaned against the arm rest of the couch and looked around the lounge, Mello was no longer there but Near was still sitting and watching a movie, not Avatar though. How much time had passed? Beyond and L were also gone, Light blinked rapidly, rubbing his eyes lightly to clear the blur and sat up straight slowly, glancing around and seeing Beyond's bedroom door closed and then he looked back to Near.

It was with quite a bit of inward shock that he realized he'd fallen asleep, in their company. He'd never fallen asleep on the sofa in his own home before…then again, he'd never crashed on the couch with 3 beers either in his own home. He sighed quietly and sat forward, running his hands through his hair to neaten it and then he leaned his elbows on his knees.

"What are you watching?" he mumbled to Near who didn't even look at him.  
"Please don't make small talk with me. Mello has left to fetch Matt and L and Beyond are in the bedroom." He said in his monotone and Light nodded, in his own slightly disoriented way, he was grateful for Near's straightforward approach. At least he knew where he stood with Near and there were no ulterior motives.

He said nothing having never cared much for small talk himself and stood up, walking around the couch into the open plan kitchen behind him and opened the fridge, he'd never do this sort of thing usually but Light had a headache and was a little bit tipsy, that and he figured dully that if they could grab his ass and molest him occasionally, he would go into their fridge and cupboards without their consent.  
Smirking stupidly as he pulled out a bottle of sealed water, he felt a small bit of victory, he felt oddly easy and liberal. He broke the seal on the water and took a long drink from the cold untainted substance and then placed it down on the counter and leaned on the surface.

There were small lights on the kitchen ceiling and Light saw how it made the skin on his arms seem pale and harsh from their brightness, his fine hair on his arms catching the light, but with the way the apartment was structured, having the large heavy curtains closed made the living area quite dark and the light from the kitchen only affected the space directly beneath it. He surveyed the place, it was modern and obviously not a cheap apartment, he'd been distracted by Mello's probing questions on the drive in so he hadn't seen the building, but the hallways and the inside of this place was expensive.

He lazily blinked trying to clear his head from the beer and he gulped more water, after a while feeling that settling urge on his bladder he closed the water bottle, contents almost finished, leaving it on the counter. He glanced to a small door in the wall beside the bedroom door, toilet obviously, he thought of asking Near for confirmation but he was clearly not interested in anything Light had to say or do, including urinate.

He rubbed his face and ran his hands through his hair as he quietly approached the door, stepping inside the dark small room, he found the light switch in its universal place, always next to the door on the wall and flicked it on.  
The bathroom was very nice, fully tiled in white and maroon with lush towels in a silver towel rack attached to the wall. It was then he noticed the shower stall built into the corner, not too small but a nice personal size, there was a basin with a cabinet above and cupboard below and finally a toilet. All of them nicely spaced and pristinely clean.

He smiled a bit, he felt comfortable in here, sanitary, he closed the door and found no key to lock it but he didn't fuss and instead moved over to the toilet. The seat was up and it made sense since it was a bachelor pad, Light relieved himself and then flushed before moving over to the basin and using some of the citrus scented hand wash.

He thought this was all very interesting, Beyond did not strike him as this sort of bachelor, but then again, the apartment itself was very well kept so maybe his outward appearance wasn't the final verdict.  
He didn't want to think he'd judged them too quickly though, he still found them very debauch and unsettling but he didn't fail to notice the little things too.

"I fell asleep…" he mumbled very quietly in disbelief after drying his hands on a small towel hung beside the basin. He looked at himself in the large mirror, clearly reflecting his slightly tan and attractive features back to him, his hair was a little sleep mussed but not even much and despite his low sleep rate the passed night, he looked…relaxed.

He didn't understand how he was relaxed after everything…how is it he could be relaxed around these crazy people. He glanced at the door when he heard a noise outside and then the bathroom door opened.  
Light's eyes widened a bit and he turned from the basin, blush instantly rising to his face against his will, L walked into the bathroom glancing at Light with little interest whilst he wore only a pair of black boxers with a bad boy symbol on the left leg. Strange and cliché.

He was lean and tall, slightly more than Light but he was fit enough to not look unhealthy in his mostly naked state, he actually looked a little older without clothes on.

"Hello Light." He dead panned and walked passed Light to the toilet, not hesitating to relieve himself while Light was a few feet behind him. Light frowned a bit, although he supposed it wasn't too strange, men used public urinals in much closer quarters, though this wasn't a public urinal...  
'So why am I still here?' he thought and frowned deeper, realizing he was staring at L's lightly muscled naked back via the mirror.

His eyes trailed to L's neck where his hair still mostly covered his tattoo,  
"What is that tattoo?" he found himself asking as he remained disturbingly casual and stared at L.

L had finished and flushed the toilet filling the bathroom with a bit more noise to break the silence, he turned around and walked over to the basin, Light politely stepping aside, deciding it wasn't necessary to leave, for craps sakes, the man hadn't bothered to knock when he'd been alone in there.  
L seemed to take a moment to concentrate on washing his hands and then he unceremoniously flicked his hands around after rinsing the soap off, light water droplets hitting Light's face and clothes. He blinked with some mild annoyance and watched as L focused on him with a little amused smile,

"It's an L." he answered simply, still smiling at the water droplets on Light's face.  
Light absently reached for the towel beside him and pulled it off to hand it to L, he felt oddly comfortable around L, not annoyed like he had been in that classroom when he didn't know the boy. Then again, he was following L originally, which ultimately led him into the situations that brought him here. He didn't think he liked L like that, hell, before they'd violated him in the park, he hadn't ever had a homosexual thought in his life.

He supposed that it was because they all interested him and L, somehow, seemed the least perverted and dangerous, toward him anyway.  
"What are you thinking about?" L's voice carried over to him to break him from his trance like staring, it was a very neutral question since Light had indeed been daydreaming,  
"…uh…nothing." He lied pathetically and L smirked at him,  
"You're a terrible lair, Matt was right." He rolled his eyes seemingly amused.

His deep smooth voice still surprised Light, so adult for a 17 year old boy. At the very least that statement confirmed that they all knew about the car incident.  
"It's my thoughts anyway." He said childishly but without much of a tone or conviction, not feeling too awkward about the half naked man standing less than a foot from him, L still holding the towel he'd dried his hands with.  
"Shall we play Mello's game then?" he enquired and Light's eyes followed L's hands when he placed the towel on the edge of the basin and raised his finger lightly to wipe Light's cheek, showing a little wetness on L's pale finger.

Light had tensed but since the hand was going north of his personal area's it hadn't freaked him out much, although he still didn't get upset about having his face touched when he usually would, it seemed to pale in comparison to everything he'd endured.

He didn't respond to L's statement, engaged in a staring contest with light grey eyes that had dark rings around the pale skin. He realized that yes, actually L did look like he did drugs and so did Matt.

L spoke before he could put that thought to analyzing,  
"You either tell me what you were thinking…or I get to…kiss you somewhere…anywhere I want?"  
That sounded distinctly perverse to Light. But he felt that tingling feeling in his stomach at the image that came into his head, Mello having spoken of blow jobs earlier. Light paled again, though not as badly and Light made his choice very quickly,"I was thinking of how you freak me out less than your friends." He said without hesitation, his hazel eyes never leaving L's grey as he forced the lewd images from his head.

He expected some sort of smart comment or remark but L just blinked lazily,  
"You're no fun." He mumbled and a sound was heard outside, voices talking outside of the door.  
This was the first time Light was completely alone with L since their last bathroom incident and after all the talk from everyone about L liking him, he had expected something different.

Not wanted it, of course not, just expected it.  
There was a bang on the door and Light didn't jump, but his heart did for no reason and he glanced behind him to the door,  
"If you're not fucking, get out here." Beyond's voice came through the door, followed by a laugh from Mello.  
"If you're not interested in being here, you might as well just leave." Something about L's tone made Light feel a little shocked and he looked back at the other boy, there was decision and finality in his voice, this was his decision, if he let Light go, then Light was gone. No more visits and sexual assaults.

He had seen most of what they 'had to offer' he supposed this was his chance to cut himself off.

The door opened and Mello stepped in, seeing them standing, L without expression but Light looked a little wide eyed and contemplative. Mello quirked an eyebrow and walked in nearer to them, he placed his arm around Light's shoulder and got his attention, Light stifled a gasp when he turned and his face came to be just inches from Mello's,  
"You look deeply disturbed pretty…the parties just starting and we don't like a kill joy." Mello smiled at him, as attractive and naughty as ever and Light swallowed.

His decision was supposed to have been on Wednesday…he was supposed to decide whether or not to go to the skate park. But this was better, sooner, he could say the words and they would all just…leave him alone.

So why didn't he want to say it, why didn't he want to leave?

L didn't mention anything to Mello and instead very openly slipped his hand beneath his waistband to scratch lightly at the hidden curls, looking bored. Mello looked at L and let his arm fall from Light, going to L and slipping his arms around the other's neck, L was also slightly taller than Mello and he obliged Mello by leaning against the basin and hugging Mello back, it was quiet and actually sweet, L's head actually resting against Mello's hair and neck and Mello face buried in L's neck.

Something was happening but Light was clueless, this was a comforting embrace and he didn't know what might have gone wrong to warrant this.  
L glanced at him as he held Mello,  
"Light, will you be staying with us?" he made it simple.  
It all seemed so final.

Light opened his mouth and glanced at Mello holding L, being held in this completely non perverse way. They all confused him.

Without even really understanding why, Light nodded and averted his gaze from L and Mello, dread and confusion finding his centre and filling him, he'd just said the most important yes.

He had given them permission to be involved in his life, he swallowed and looked back as L kissed Mello's cheek chastely. It wasn't necessarily as bad as he thought, he figured that while he'd allow them to 'befriend' him in a sense, he still had control over what he chose to do. He hoped.  
'What the hell am I thinking…I control my actions…' he thought trying to convince himself.

He turned to leave the bathroom when Mello spoke,  
"Hey, where are you going? If you're staying…"

Light turned back to look at Mello, leaning more or less against L now, their waists against each other and L was kissing his neck in a non chaste manner, the slight sound of wet lips to Mello's flesh was noticeable in the bathroom.

The perversion was clearly a package deal here.

Mello smiled at him very slowly and Light felt a cold shiver run up his spine,  
"Hm…if your staying then I have a choice for you…"

Light's lips formed a straight line now in annoyance, he didn't like that smile and he liked the original little game idea even less, but he had played it twice now, once again stupidly adhering to the little things that would eventually suck him into something worse.  
"Don't get so mad, the stakes are low in this one." As Mello spoke Light glanced at L as the pale teen visibly ran his tongue from the base of Mello's neck to his jaw and kissed the finishing spot.

Light didn't know what possessed him, but he gave Mello an expectant look, feeling only a little more confident, he didn't realize how attractive that assertion and sudden arrogance about him made him seem to Mello who had a fetish for being dominated, unbeknownst to Light of course, Mello grinned now.  
"You either have to kiss me…or L, right now."

That was a two way loss technically for him, he had to kiss someone either way…both guys. Light glanced at L, who had stopped lavishing Mello's neck which was adorned a new purple spot toward the centre of his throat and was looking back at him lazily while holding Mello loosely round his waist.

There was talking past the open door, Beyond talking to Near about the movie as far as Light could hear, it felt like several different worlds all rolled into one, worlds he was going to be involved in.

What was worse is that Light felt like he was making more than just a kissing choice, he'd kissed both of them before so it wasn't that,  
'I can't believe I just thought that…' he thought horribly disturbed by himself.  
Looking between them, he figured that no matter how he looked at it, he was supposed to choose L right?  
He glanced behind himself at the open door, maybe he could still run?

He turned back and sighed slightly,  
'If I'd wanted to leave here, I would have done it by now.' He admitted and stepped toward the pair closing the short gap.

Light tried not to be awkward about it, Mello and L separated slightly as he leaned into L, deciding to make it small and tongue-less since Mello hadn't specified frenching like he had earlier when they had been alone. After a lingering lip to lip kiss with L, he felt tingles settle in his stomach as he could smell L's natural skin aroma with whatever cologne L wore, as appealing as Matt the other night.

'I must be sick…' he thought vaguely as he leaned back and glanced at Mello who was still grinning. He made no comment about the kiss that Light chose to give, as if he'd been right to assume he didn't need to be excessive in the contact. L hadn't protested at all either and he stared at Light with no expression while Mello raised his eyebrows, mimicking Light's expectant look.

Light somehow just knew what the blonde wanted and again with little hesitation and even less understanding, he leaned into Mello and kissed him the same way, except Mello took to sucking his lip slightly as Light leaned back.  
Mello smirked now and L winked at Light before he kissed Mello lightly,  
"Are you okay?" he asked belatedly.

Mello made an exaggerated sigh and his bare hands very blatantly slid over L's bare chest, over his boxers and he took a handful of L's package into a light grip,  
"I will be…" he mumbled, "…let's have some fun, L." He grinned and pulled himself away from L, gripping Light firmly by his hand and yanking him along proving Mello was pretty fucking strong by the grip and yank, Light was a bright red from embarrassment of what he'd just seen and was incredibly worried.

He didn't know what that night would hold, but something told him Mello had some ideas.

* * *

It wasn't what Light expected for the most part, they all headed back into the lounge after L clothed himself and took their seats around the sofa's, switching the movie off and Light discovered that there was a light dimming switch, the room was set to moderate brightness and some music, that Light identified as punk rock, was put on to play.

He'd got nervous as the cocaine came out, lines were placed neatly on the low glass table and all the while they made stupid jokes about bands and commented on random things in the music. It was strange, like he'd thought earlier, so many different worlds all rolled into one. He had to remind himself that they were all friends at the end of it all, regardless of their less than savory lifestyles.

Beyond did the first line, very easily and with little tears to his dark grey eyes afterward, he leaned back and Mello tucked his hair back behind his ears as he leaned over and took the second line, sniffing a bit afterward.  
Light counted the lines…five lines of coke and there were 5 of them, that familiar concern filled him, he wasn't sure if this would be turned into a game when it came to him but he worried anyway about what his choices would be this time.

Mello glanced at Near and offered the small plastic tube to him for snorting, to Lights surprise Near got off the couch on to his knees and he took the small tube and sniffed up the line very casually, sniffing and wiggling his burning nose a bit after but never the less, the line was gone up his nose. Light raised an eyebrow.  
"You look fucking surprised." Beyond laughed slightly.

Light glanced at him and shrugged a bit,  
"Guess I never expected it."  
Near didn't even bother looking at him as usual and Light watched as Mello mouthed along the words to a song playing while L snorted his line and wiped his nose absently afterward, licking his pale lips as well.

Beyond was in his own couch, Mello and Near on the two seater and L sitting with one leg to his chest leaning back against the bottom of the couch. They all looked at him and he blinked as anxiousness filled him.  
"I told you Mello, I don't do- "  
"You didn't do guys either, look at you now." Beyond said slyly.

Light became a little bit angry,  
"I haven't done any thing like what you're implying."  
"Jesus, you're so fucking uptight!" Beyond said loudly, "I'll do his line." He reached out for the tube but L looked at B calmly,  
"No, it's Light's line." He smirked and Light felt betrayed in some silly way.  
"I'm not sniffing that up my nose." He said stiffly and sat back on the couch.  
L smiled and stood up, walking over to the notepad next to the phone and tearing off a piece of paper and coming back over to the table. Light watched

L while he smelled Marijuana filling the air, Beyond had lit a small white cylinder rolled with the stuff and he was puffing from it as L leaned down and scooped the line into the paper, most of it.  
Light stared at him as he emptied the white powder into his own half finished beer and swirled it so the liquid mixed with the faint white powder after a short while. Mello took the cylinder and smoked from it while he watched L walk over to Light.

He sat down beside Light and sipped from the beer before holding it out,  
"Let's compromise." It was a suggestion.

Light admitted to himself that drinking the substance dissolved seemed less harsh than blatantly snorting it, so against all of his minds objections screaming at him, he took the beer from L and drank from it. Not only was he going against his never sharing drinks or food rule, he was drinking a drug, an addictive and illegal drug. Two gulps later, Light licked his lips and glanced at L, who was talking the weed from Near, who Light noticed, didn't partake.

L smoked from it and Light watched the smoke slip from his nose and mouth as held it out to Light and by the process of elimination, Light's defenses were breaking. It seemed a lot like, if you've done it once, you can do it again, as he took the cylinder, never having actually inhaled it but he'd had it in his system before thanks to Matt.

Light took a deep calming breath and pressed the soft paper between his lips and inhaled, naturally breaking into a coughing fit since he'd never had smoke in his lungs that way before. He felt a hand on his back, slapping it jovially and glanced at Beyond who had settled the other side of him,  
"Nice pretty boy, stop being so afraid of yourself." He encouraged him.  
Light gave him a 'piss off' look and L tapped the beer since Light was still choking slightly.

Like a concoction made for delinquents, Light sipped from the alcohol drug tainted beverage and then with L's fingers guiding his hand back to his mouth, he inhaled again from the weed and this time coughed and choked less, but enough to finish his beer to clear his throat.  
Beyond then took it from him and as the passing circle started around again, he started to feel his head get light and he felt so elated. In his subconscious he was fully aware that this feeling was a loss of control and was a bad sign, but he knew it was meant to happen and he also knew that he felt pretty relaxed and so weightless. And for the first time, Near was smiling at him…maybe it was the drugs that made it look that way?

He smiled stupidly and heard them all laugh lightly.  
"Who's up for some video games?" Mello asked loudly.

* * *

The next two hours flew by, Light had forgotten about time as the sun set into a cool darkness outside the now open curtains and the balcony doors were open as well, bringing in cool air while the laughter and cussing was fluent among the five boys, well, Light wasn't really cussing but he was shouting as his character was beaten again in a fighting game.  
"Damn it!" he shouted and smiled as L and Beyond were laughing quite amused, Near was shaking his head,  
"You just don't give up." He mumbled and watched as Mello, with his victorious smirk on his face, raised a hand, receiving a high five from Near.  
"I never claimed to be good at video games." Light mumbled.  
"And you still shouldn't." Mello teased and Light shook his head smiling.

To anyone who had ever known Light, they would have probably fainted seeing him smiling and acting so carefree, playing video games and laughing, joking…smoking weed included, but Light felt as if that particular high had worn off and now he was fuelled by the relaxation he felt.

It was nice to not be 'perfect' Light Yagami, his blue over shirt was lying on the other couch he'd been on, his white shirt was a bit creased, he was walking around in his socks, just like L and Near. He didn't mind that he was not sitting posture perfect with his back to the couch or that his hair may not be in perfect neat condition.

He was enjoying this and having never experienced this kind of relaxation, Light blamed it on the high and chose to use that as an excuse to enjoy himself and then…not take responsibility. Even though he knew it didn't work that way, right then it was working fine.

A phone ringing interrupted L vs Mello and Mello glanced at Light who was sitting next to him on the floor,  
"Take my cell out of my pocket Light…" he instructed as L's character kicked his own across the screen, "Quickly!" Light had been hesitating but then he just slipped his fingers into his jeans pocket and pulled the thin phone out.  
"Answer it." Mello said distractedly as his ring tone played loudly, Light saw Matt's name and he glanced at Near, who held his hand out and took the phone from Light ignoring his anxious expression, scared to answer a call? Seriously?

It was Matt after all, his worse attacker and molester.  
Near answered it and spoke evenly and quietly, the music, the game and Mello's curses as L beat him drowned out the conversation.  
He ended the call after a moment and Beyond used the remote to turn the music off,  
"Who was it?"

Light supposed if Mello got a call, they all got a call.  
"Matt says we must meet him at the Cherry." He handed Mello his cell and the blonde got to his feet, tossing the black wireless control onto the couch,  
"Lets hit it, ladies." He said with a grin as he stepped over Light's legs.

L was stepping into his shoes already and so Light got up and sat down on the couch to put his own shoes on. Near slipped on his sneakers which he wore with a grey jeans and a loose white surf logo T shirt. His hair was not as spiky as usual since he'd been lying around on the couch all day.  
Light followed them out of the apartment, they'd all switched off, closed up and done everything in easy synchronization and Light found it interesting how they didn't even question anything or put it off, they all just went where one of their own was. It was quite an interesting situation, like a family outside of a family. One you could choose aside from one you were unknowingly brought into, like his own mediocre family.

In the elevator Mello shoved Near and the shorter albino punched the blonde in the arm, making Mello laugh and rub the spot where his arm went numb. The elevator opened and Near started running, Mello chasing him and Beyond smiling as he walked out, Light followed him and noticed L was more or less beside him. He glanced at L who smirked at him, Light was about to say something when he nearly tripped over and L also started laughing and running away.

Belatedly Light realized he'd been tripped and Beyond was laughing as well, Light shook his head smiling and a part of him wanted to chase L and get him back, like some stupid back and forth game, like a teenager would usually do with a bunch of guy friends, but his stubborn conservative side was still strong enough to fight the urge, until Beyond tripped him again…then Light gave chase.

It ended with a laughing wrestling match on the grass parts of the gardens in the yard area for the apartment complex, Light had tackled Beyond and ended up tackled by Mello and eventually L pinned him. He felt so stupid and yet he couldn't stop laughing as he got to his feet.

This did not feel like him.  
"This fucker runs fast." Beyond laughed a little out of breath as Light couldn't help the small smile he sported at the stated fact,  
"Apparently not as fit as I thought." L commented dully to Beyond.  
"You had a head start!" Beyond defended since L had avoided being tackled.

Light felt awkward in the aftermath of such a childish play moment but when none of them seemed phased he relaxed again, watching at L slipped his hands into his pockets laughing at B holding his side that obviously had a cramp.  
"L just got lucky, Light looked like he almost got out of that pin." Mello said as he started walking toward the exit of the building gardens and property.

It dawned on Light then that they were going to walk to wherever they needed to go.  
"My legs are my strong point…and my submission technique's." L smiled and Mello nodded,  
"And your stamina." He grinned and L laughed too, Beyond grabbing Near and giving him a noogie since he'd avoided any kind of assault during their wrestling match.

Despite the slight sexual innuendo, Light was smiling at their banter, a part of him really enjoyed this and another part was telling him to get a cab home and change his mind about hanging out with them ever again tomorrow.

But his feet carried him along the quiet curb with them as the walked to where ever they were going and a question occurred to him belatedly,  
"Why is this place called the Cherry?" he asked Beyond who was walking nearest to him.  
The taller man grinned and glanced at him,  
"Because one of us lost our virginities there…"

Light blinked, 'I had to ask…' he thought as he continued walking with a small frown.

* * *

After about 30 minutes of walking and a long conversation oddly enough ranging from cars to girls, Light saw Matt sitting on the sidewalk of a corner in a quiet suburban area. He stood up as they all walked over and Matt smiled a bit dully, Mello hugged him and again it was in that comforting way L had held him.

It was obvious they were saying something to each other quietly and they pulled back from hugging, smiling and sharing a few short kisses. Light found himself almost expecting the contact between them at this point. When Matt finally let Mello go he hugged L too, not as long or with whispered words but they kissed as well and Matt's smile after the greetings seemed less forced and happier.

He watched as Beyond and Matt just guy hugged each other, you know the short firm sort of hug, Near hugged him too, a little less guy like, being smaller than Matt made it look less firm. He locked eyes with Matt when he was the last left in the small group to greet,  
"Hey, Matt." He said lamely keeping his hands in his pockets.  
"Hey, Light." He said just as lamely back and looked over to L,  
"So yeah…I figured we'd hang out, it's fucking hot, thought we'd swim." He grinned in that sly way and gestured to the building on the corner he'd been sitting on. It was a public swimming pool and it was closed.

Light surprised himself when he looked for camera surveillance outside the entrance and how high the walls were, like he just knew exactly how they intended to 'go for a swim'. He knew them so well too because immediately they all moved toward the side of the wall where it was dark away from street lights and Light went ahead with them since he spotted no cameras, he assumed they'd already known that.  
"So…Light, you seem like you grew some balls, I'm away for one day and you're joining us in trespassing, I'm turned on." Matt commented and smiled all too genuinely at Light who blushed slightly even though he made an annoyed face, you couldn't see either properly in the dark though.  
"Light's being a regular badass today, Matty…" Mello said sounding decidedly more chipper now that Matt was around.

Beyond was first over the wall, followed by Mello and then Near who was surprisingly agile, L went over and then Matt let Light go before he followed. They obviously did this often since that climb over seemed conveniently well known. Once over the wall, Matt pulled out a flash light that had been in one of his black cargo pants deep pockets and placed it on a bench at the side of the water, facing it toward the Olympic size pool. It cast a bright white light halfway along the centre, leaving the rest of the water eerily black.

But it provided some light since there had been absolutely none before except a few along the far walls of the fence surrounding the property.  
It was a pool though so thankfully there was nothing lurking in the dark water, until Beyond stripped his clothes off save for his boxers and jumped in, now he was lurking in that dark water and it scared Light just a tad. For the most part there'd been no personal space lines crossed while they played video games and stuff, but he knew it was in them, it was their nature and while he thought about it, it worried him a little more each moment especially now that clothes were coming off.

Another splash followed and Mello was in the water, naked except for his well fitted briefs, Near settled on the bench beside the flash light.  
"He doesn't swim." L informed coming to stand at Light's side near the bench, "…he was nearly drowned once."

The information made Light turn to look at L since that was the first piece of actual information he'd really acquired about one of them. But he knew it probably wasn't too important, by the lax way L had told him, Near probably would have told him if he'd questioned him on not wanting to swim. But it was something.

L was pulling his shirt and off until he was back in his boxer shorts and he handed his clothes rolled into a ball to Light, who snorted and took it from him despite his annoyance,  
"You got a thing about me and your clothes?"

L smirked and it actually looked a little perverse that time,  
"Practice." He went into a jog and then run before diving into the deep end of the dark water.

Light blushed very obviously that time, for the hundredth time that day and he fought down that hot arousal he felt when he pictured L with Beyond through that key hole, he couldn't get that image of them out of his head, what little he saw was very vivid. He had tried not to think about that afternoon and them being in the bedroom alone, he didn't want anymore images in his head, or maybe he was just afraid he'd succumb to them.

Groaning inwardly he walked over to the bench where Near was and placed L's clothes down, Near glanced at him and went back to his cell phone which he was holding.  
"You're not swimming?" Matt's voice was beside him and he turned to find Matt in all but his underwear as well, he swallowed absently.

"Ah, no thanks, I'll hang out with…Near." He glanced at the noises in the water, only small movements could be detected and Near didn't object or if he heard he didn't comment on Light's self invitation.  
"I thought you were being badass?"  
"…" he blinked, "…in measurements." He ventured some humor into the situation and was pleased when Matt laughed slightly, his goggles were not on his head or face, ironically now when he was about to go into water and his hair hung in his face without obstruction.

Matt stepped closer and slipped a hand behind Light's back, around his waist so he was pressed lightly against Matt and Light's body reacted to it in a way he wanted to avoid but noticed he was less and less able to control his reactions as he blushed and tensed,  
"Come in the water…my dad died yesterday…" he said very casually and Light's eyes widened a bit, "…and I'm celebrating." He grinned in a very creepy way and Light blinked slowly.

He didn't have time to think though when Matt's hands started to slip the white shirt up, his hands officially passed Light's previous limits and glided over the skin of his flat stomach and lightly toned chest.  
He realized then he'd forgotten his blue over shirt in Beyond's apartment as his white shirt came up and he raised his arms, quickly stepping back and pulling it off himself and hoping the goose bumps that broke out all over him from Matt's hands would go away quickly.

He placed his shirt on L's clothes and started to take off his pants and Matt smirked,  
"I like the new Light, apparently there is more to you pretty boy."

To Light's horror, as he was placing his pants into the pile, shoes and socks underneath the bench, he felt himself lifted up into the air and carried over a firm shoulder, a sound of protest escaping his mouth. Light instinctively held his breath as he felt himself in mid air when Matt let him go.  
He hit the water quiet loudly and felt the cool water rush over him, bubbles under his legs and arms.

In the dark water, opening his eyes under was eerie but he found that he felt so strangely calm. He felt another vibration in the water meaning Matt had jumped in. Light came up to the surface and took in a breath, pushing his hair back from his face and he glanced around. Matt was swimming toward him and his feet couldn't find ground, the deep end obviously, he swam slowly toward the wall to have some leverage and he held onto the ledge, shortly after he felt the water wave around him, he knew Matt was there before the two arms came up either side of his head, Matt wasn't touching him, just floating behind,  
"We'll be in the shallow end." He said quietly and kissed Light's shoulder before the almost contact was gone and Light heard him swim away.

In that moment Light realized he was shaking…Matt really scared him.

He also took a moment then to think about what Matt had said, his father was dead? He was celebrating?  
He remembered something about Matt's father being mentioned before, but he couldn't think of it right then, he was too distracted by this vulnerable situation.

He sighed and turned around, one hand holding the ledge, he couldn't actually see the shallow end, not enough light but he heard Mello shouting and laughing, L was laughing too.

He didn't want to feel vulnerable but he knew he was the newbie among them, so maybe he had to stop looking so vulnerable.  
'But I feel it…I can't concentrate around them…' he thought quietly and angrily, he felt like he lost all of his control when they were around him. He could only hope he'd get used to it…because in truth…he didn't think they were so bad. With a slightly nervous feeling in his stomach he pushed away from the wall and swam toward the shallow end.


	9. Toast and Banana's

**AN: Huge THANKS to kookielawlyuki for sorting out the translations for me!**

**This chapter has been edited slightly to suit FF guidelines.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

* * *

Light Yagami. Perfect hair. Perfectly neat school uniform. Skin a perfect even tan colour and almost perfectly unblemished. His entire appearance was perfect, as perfect as was humanly possible.

But Light Yagami…was the most confused person he'd ever known right then and everyday since he'd first started school in America, he was far from perfect anymore.

His usual posture was on leave until he started feeling better so as he walked along the school halls dotted with other students in the early morning, he chose a more relaxed posture. He hated that at some points his shoes scuffed against the flat smooth floor but he couldn't bring himself to lift his feet that much.  
This was completely unlike him and while it made him absolutely furious, he had no strength or even focus to do anything about it. The only thing he knew right then was that the previous Saturday had done nothing to help rest his weary head or get rid of the constant nausea he felt since waking up after a Saturday night of weed and alcohol.

He never ever saw himself being in this cliché situation, how many times had he avoided this sort of thing in Japan? He'd never went out with 'friends' in his high school, he'd never drank more than a glass of champagne or a half glass of beer during occasions of family coming around.

The entire situation oozed peer pressure…and bullying. So as an even bigger blow to his self esteem it was not only his strength and resolve of his mind in question but also his physical strength and ability to defend himself. He'd been beaten up twice in 2 weeks; he didn't even want to think about it.

Glancing up when a guy greeted him, Light flashed a small polite smile and nodded before a blank expression replaced it, not his usual air of 'I'm so important' but a new look of 'I really don't want to be here'. He'd never felt like that before either, he'd always thrived on coming to school with the desk he sat at neat and clean, a case with all of his respective stationary, books perfectly well kept.  
Perfect…where was his perfection gone?

He finally reached his locker and opened it in a bit of a huff, stuffing his bag inside after taking out his two books he'd need for his first period after homeroom.  
"Ah, damn it!" a loud clatter was heard and something hitting the ground just a short ways from Light in the long hall. Many students turned around to look and Light did as well, seeing a boy lifting his spectacles up from where they landed on the floor, his books slightly out of his bag and his pens and such scattered.

Light blinked and crouched down to lift up one of the pens that had landed near his feet, the boy was thin and dorky looking. Even by Light's standards. Before he could get the boys attention and toss the pen over to him, not wanting to walk over there passed the students, lazy…Light felt lazy… he saw familiar unlaced sneakers come into view as they stepped over the boy half kneeling on the floor.

Light raised a fine eyebrow and looked L straight in the face as he approached, the dark haired boy smirking back at the guy gathering his scattered items.  
"Hey Light…" L greeted loudly enough for a few people to hear and people turned to him with angry eyes seeing L stop beside him. Light tried to keep a straight face, wanting to widen his eyes and look as uncomfortable as he felt.

School was a different kind of public to open streets and apartment staff, he had an academic reputation to get back into perspective and L was not helping.  
"L…" he said very quietly.  
"Give the twat back his pen, let's get you to homeroom." L said shortly and took the pen from Light's hand before Light could stop him, holding the pen between two fingers,  
"Mikami! Heads up." He tossed the pen in a quick manner, one hardly meant for catching and it hit Mikami almost on his face but the dark haired boy ducked.

Light blinked between Mikami and L and when he looked again, L was walking away. Everyone stared at him and he sighed heavily, his mouth straightening in a stiff line as anger settled, his day was already turning bad. He noticed Mikami staring at him rather intently and the boy came over to Light with quick steps,  
"I would never have thought someone like you would be friends with someone like him."

He sounded disappointed and disgusted, each tone for 'you' and 'him' respectively.  
Light was a little surprised but it didn't show, he stared at the boy who was practically his height or an inch taller. Light had wondered about the boy's fall when he'd seen L smirking so he asked,  
"Did he…?" he gestured the way L walked.  
"Yes, he tripped me…he often does. He even pushes me off my bicycle sometimes. I'd heard about you and your academic stature," quick subject change, " I was hoping to study with you. We have Science together, our schedules don't clash at all and-."  
-bang!-

Once again, against his will, Light's heart jumped when his locker was slammed just behind his head and Mikami stepped back a bit. Light turned to look at L, his white pale fingers rested against the flat grey door of Light's locker as he leaned just behind Light.

To Light's horror L's chin rested on his shoulder,  
"Mikami…piss off." L said sounding very bored and Light was too frozen to say anything.

Everyone…EVERYONE, was staring and a part of Light wondered if it was because they were shocked by L's way of speaking to Mikami, or because they knew. Did everyone know about L…and his…after school activities? His heart was pounding so hard that he could barely hear the noise in the hall anymore.

The bell rang and like a gun shot had gone off, people dispersed.  
Light shifted his shoulder so L was no longer leaning on it and he cleared his throat,  
"I have to go, Mikami was it?" Light replaced his unbelievable discomfort with his best façade, wondering with a lump in his throat, exactly what L was thinking and whether he was upset by Light shrugging him off.

'Why do I care? Because we're friends?' he thought.

"Please call me Teru." The dark haired, thin male grinned and Light nodded.  
Teru seemed to become uneasy when he glanced over Light's shoulder and he back stepped again,  
"See you in science later…" he turned and walked away.  
Light wisely stepped forward before turning, not wanting to end up face to face with L.

Yes he had been closer before, but he wouldn't go there in school, he didn't even like going there any other time.

No he did not! Or at least he screamed that at himself about 10 times…a minute.  
Light sighed when he saw that L seemed as apathetic as usual, hands in his school pants, his shirt not tucked in and tie hanging from his shoulders instead of being tied, his hair in its untidy state.  
"You tripped him?"

L just smiled in a lazy way.  
"I'm late for homeroom…" Light suddenly realized. He'd wanted to start this week fresh and without a hitch, so much for that.  
"Why do you seem so uptight again?" L's voice was right behind him as he walked quickly.  
He didn't answer and then L laughed quietly,  
"Would you like to start this entire thing all over again?" he spoke in his smooth voice and Light halted.

He turned to face L who kept stepping until they were inches apart in an empty hall.  
"Are you threatening me?"  
"Threatening?" L mocked, "…Light, come now. We both know that you followed me of your own volition…I thought if I ignored you, the spoiled pretty boy, you'd go away. But then I saw it…your interest. After Saturday, I thought you'd stopped being in denial." He raised his eyebrows and leaned forward.

A million things went through Light's mind at once when L leaned in.

School.  
This is your fault Light.  
You accepted this.  
Don't make him mad.  
None of those thoughts were…don't let him kiss you.

Light didn't know if he was relieved or disappointed when L didn't actually kiss him but ran his lips along his cheek to his ear,  
"Try to remember that friends like me…don't like liars."

Light swallowed slowly, his stomach was fluttery after thinking he would be kissed, that alone frightened him, he had wanted it…to happen.  
'Get a grip…' he told himself.

Light sighed and smiled slightly,  
"Friends like you huh? What kind of friend is that?"  
"The sort that you'll find comes with many benefits if you open your mind." L didn't miss a beat and he patted Light's cheek slightly with his cold hand and smiled back.

Light felt himself relax when L smiled and he glanced around at the empty halls,  
"Listen, can we keep the touchy touchy stuff for…" he stopped himself when he realized what he was about to say and he must have either blushed or paled because L laughed at him,  
"You don't have to complete your statement…you look like your about to pass out. No worries Light, I'll keep the 'touchy touchy' stuff for when we're alone." He winked and his grey eyes trailed along the hall over Light's shoulder.  
"We'd best get you to homeroom." He started walking around Light and passed him, hands in his pockets as he hunched over slightly and dragged his sneakered feet.

Light turned around and absently neatened his hair as he followed L, like a puppy, he thought. He'd always been leading, in any circle of friends he'd had, but with L he didn't believe it was possible to lead.  
'It can't be because I want to follow…right? That's ridiculous.' He thought but again wondered what made people follow him so easily…was it the same feeling of…interest, he had in L that compelled people to follow him.

People like Mikami.

Light had caught up to walking beside L who wasn't walking very fast,  
"What made you do that to Teru Mikami?" he enquired as casually as possible, not wanting to say he was upset that L chased a potential fan away. Light liked attention.

Although, not the sort he'd been receiving from L and company.  
"Because I wanted to." L said evenly, he seemed a little anxious and annoyed with being at school, much like Light felt, not anxious though.  
"That's hardly a reason."  
"That's too bad then isn't it?" L glanced at him as they came to stop outside of a noisy class of chatting teens waiting for first period to begin.

Light could hear the teacher calling out names to check attendance as they stood beside the door avoiding the small glass window.  
"Where's your home room?" Light slipped his free hand into his own pocket as he held his books in the other.  
"Why, are you going to join me?" L leaned against the wall next to Light lazily, eyes relaxing from their searching the halls.  
"No…I was just asking."  
"You ask extremely boring questions." L informed him and then leaned his head over to look at Light from the side, "I'm going now." He said and pushed off the wall and started to stroll away.  
"Wait…" Light hated himself, "…where are you going?" he wanted to slap himself.

L turned to face him, his sneakers squeaking on the floor as he did, his grey eyes bored,  
"To homeroom." He didn't sound even remotely convincing.  
"I thought you didn't like liars." Light smirked and L smirked back,  
"I suppose I'm a walking contradiction then." He turned and continued walking.

Light hated that! He hated how L never answered anything he asked, he gave stupid comments or brushed questions off all together. Light was not about to go chasing after him so he turned and prepared for a speech about coming to class late, only the bell rang and the noise level rose as people started filing out of the classes to go to first period.

Light's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he leaned against the wall, people came out of his homeroom and paid no mind to him, he was new still and not so well known that students could point out his absence.  
Now, Light had never been faced with a situation such as this, he was already marked as absent which meant that attending a class would instantly label him as being late, that was another late day. Absent day or late day? The question he was really asking was L or class?

The truth was, Light was more than confused, he'd hoped that L was the more controlled of the lot but then when he thought about it and looked at L's odd and strangely passive aggressive nature, it worried him more. The same reason he preferred Near over Mello was because he knew exactly what angle Near would come at him from.

Now L seemed harder to read and it made enough sense, Light didn't know L at all, aside from their initial fight and a few greetings and recent small exchange of words on Saturday, Light had never spoken to L and didn't know him well.  
He knew him less than he knew Matt and that was saying something.

He groaned quietly as people moved along the halls, Light felt that insistence to go and find L building in his gut. He remembered that he had decided being friends with them meant he would still be in control of his actions, not that that had happened yet, but he had to try.

He pushed off the wall when the hall started quieting, against his better judgment his feet started moving in the direction of the hall toward the exit of the block.

He was berating himself for this stupid weakness when he heard a girl's voice,  
"Sumimasen?" (_Excuse me?)_  
The calm and mature voice speaking words in crisp Japanese made Light's attention peak and he turned as casually as the perfect Light would usually do, graceful, hair shifting to fall over his eyes just a bit before he habitually brushed it to the side, his hazel eyes settling on the girl.

She was slim and a little shorter than him, fair even skin with dark black hair cut into her neck and blue grey colored eyes which Light deduced in his swift analysis were contacts.  
"Hai?" (_Yes)_ he responded, switching to his Japanese dialect with graceful ease, since his speaking in English was improving to the point where Light pronounced words almost exactly as English speaking people did.

She didn't blush or giggle or behave stupidly but instead smiled and bowed just a bit,  
"Kon'nichiwa, anata wa watashi o tasukeru koto ga dekiru? Watashi wa sukoshi ushinawa rete imasu." (_Hello, are you able to help me? I have been a little lost.)_  
Light blinked at her but before he could speak she continued, stepping forward and tucking some hair behind her ear,  
"Watashi wa, anata ga nihongo o hanasu ureshiidesu, watashi wa kakunin sa remasendeshita." (_I am glad you speak Japanese, I was not sure.)_ She admitted, "Watashi wa, atarashii kōkan gakuseidesu." (_I am a new student (university/college student specifically, exchange student.)_

Light's mind lit up with happiness.  
'She's perfect…the perfect…alibi.' He could practically smell his reputation being welded back together as he looked at her standing there in her knee length blue uniform skirt and white shirt tucked in neatly, white socks mid calf and shoes polished clean, not a pretty hair out of place on her head an a very pretty face, she looked lost.  
"Sore wa mondai arimasen. Watashi no namae wa…Light Yagami." (_There is no problem. My name is...Light Yagami.)_ He said his name with an English dialect, preferring the way it sounded, especially when L said it in his smooth deep voice.

He grimaced at the thought and smiled at her to cover it, she was nodding,  
"Lighto?" she said in her best English and he nodded.  
"Kiyomi Takada." She offered in English dialect as well.  
Light gave her his brilliant smile,  
"Watashi wa anata ni nani o shite yakudatsu koto ga dekimasu ka?" (_Can you help me with what i have to do?)_ he asked politely and she smiled back, stepping up to his side and they started walking.

* * *

Light was pleased with the morning, he'd helped Kiyomi work out where all her classes were from her timetable and then, with her backing up his story, he told the teacher for his first period he had been helping the new exchange student find her classes so he hadn't made it to homeroom.

Kiyomi seemed only too happy to agree and Light was off the hook for helping a fellow student.

It didn't stop him however from spending his second and third period thinking about where L might be and what he was doing, images he was still trying to forget of L and Beyond flashed in his mind and he rolled his eyes at his unfocused thoughts.

He'd been thinking about sex, not even sex including himself, more than he had in his entire teenage life in just the last two weeks.  
He wondered why L refused to stay in the school, it wasn't so bad, teachers were nice, classes were clean and students were pleasant. He supposed when he considered it, L was not the academic sort, he probably didn't excel and so chose not to be too concerned with school.

He didn't want to stereotype the lot of them but he couldn't think of any other reason. They all behaved like they'd been delinquents in high school, why wouldn't L just follow suit?

He smiled at the thought of L being dense and he felt a small triumph, he may not be as physically inclined, in any way L was, but he was smarter than everyone he knew and he wasn't so certain that would change.  
"Light Yagami?" he hated the way the male teacher said his name, Yay-gemi.

He glanced at the front of class, noticing that several notes were on the bored and yet he hadn't even heard anything the man had been saying…he hadn't been paying attention. 'Ugh…' he scolded himself.

It wasn't the reason he'd been called though, Coach Touta Matusda, Light had learned his full name at the try outs the Friday before, was standing at the door and waving like a dork. Light wished he could smack the older man but instead he stood up when the teacher summoned him and went over to the pair of men.

He followed Matsuda outside, he was a perfect example of a Japanese man who spoke no Japanese.  
"Sorry to pull you out of class, I know how important your work is to you."  
Light gave him a half arsed smile and Matsuda placed his hands on his hips still smiling,  
"We've changed the training days, it's going to be Tuesday and Friday afternoons. We're accommodating the classes and homework loads, students are complaining."

Light thought it was nice, his school in Japan never let sport interfere with class work, but in the states he supposed it was different, most kids thrived on sport and took it more seriously.  
"Will it suit you, too? I sat down with four different timetables and worked it out." He informed Light.

Light honestly didn't care, he felt annoyed when he remembered he'd even have to go to training, how had he managed to forget something in his strict schedule?  
'When last have I even written out a daily schedule?' he wondered as he stared at the man's smile. Light was beginning to realize more and more how much control he was losing just thinking about L, about all of them.  
"I'll be there, I'll manage…it may clash but I can handle it." he said politely.  
"Great!" Matsuda exclaimed and Light saw the teacher inside the class shake his head at the loudness.  
"I'll see you tomorrow after school, 4 to 6 pm." He beamed and was on his way down the hall, jogging.

Light sighed and remembered how badly he hadn't wanted to be there that morning.  
He walked back into the classroom, remembering that after being nearly drowned on Saturday by their dunking game at the pool, he'd exchanged numbers with L and Mello, more like had his phone hi-jacked but it was okay, he hadn't been upset then and he wasn't now.

He wanted to call, to excuse himself to the bathroom and make a call…but he wouldn't give into the urge.  
Light settled in his place and opened his book, lifting his pen and beginning to take notes in his elegant handwriting.

* * *

Lunch time went pleasantly, he'd drank a bottle of orange juice from a vending machine while he sat at a table with 'student friends', humoring their conversation at the same time as he was writing up a schedule for the week to come, pleased with himself that he was getting things done.

Changing books at his locker after lunch and before his next class, Light took the one book he'd need out and closed the door, he then slipped his cell from his pocket when it vibrated. The screen read 1 New Text Message, Mello.

He opened it and without realizing it he smiled.  
-Your choices are: Skip last period you boring nerd or I'll show up in drag and come and get you personally ;) -

Light laughed as an image of Mello in a tight leather skirt and a bra popped into his mind.

He started walking through the people to get to his 4th period with the smile still on his face. He didn't intend to answer the message, he supposed it meant what it said and after he skipped he'd go to the skate park or meet up with them however they planned. He halted in his step and his eyes widened,  
'Did I really just think that…did I just unconsciously agree with myself to skip last period?'

He didn't know he had paled again and was extremely annoyed when he noticed people looking at him for his odd behavior. He started walking again, faster this time and headed to the nearest bathroom, pushing the door open and ignoring the 2 other boys showing each other their cell phones and grinning.

Porn or something of the like he assumed.

He placed his book down on the counter beside the basin and neatened his hair, trying to understand how that had happened, how did he do what they wanted without even realizing it?  
Light heard the bell ring and he relaxed his shoulders before grabbing his book and leaving the bathroom, he had science now, he would find it boring, like all of his subjects were.

* * *

When the bell sounded Light left science quickly to get away from Teru Mikami, the boy had sat next to him which Light thought was fine but when he showed Light his presentation on changing all of his classes to Light's classes for the headmaster, he'd become worried.

Teru was crazy.

And not crazy like he'd recently discovered with L and company, but psycho stalker crazy like he'd steal a lock of Light's hair and put it in a locket around his neck crazy. He got around a corner quick enough and breathed out, glad to be rid of that nuisance.

School seemed to be becoming more of a pain than anything.  
He leaned heavily against the wall as the people in the halls steadily ignored him, slipped his cell phone out and typed a message – What about 5th period? – he clicked send to Mello.  
'I've lost it…' he sighed and glanced around, feeling naughty and guilty and excited all at once, '…maybe it's not so bad.'

A minute later and the phone buzzed in his hand,  
-Matty will be there in 15-

Light smiled and closed the phone.  
He supposed they could be considered reliable if nothing else.

* * *

Skipping school was low and Light knew that but it didn't stop him from leaving everything in his locker and leaving the front entrance when everyone was in 5th period, following the path L had showed him that day he left following L, Light was hidden by the trees lining the drive way and he managed to get out as easily as before.

He pulled his school shirt off along with his blue tie and he was left in his grey pants and the plain white T he always wore underneath, his school pants were obvious, he wondered if he should start wearing pants under his own like L did and then he kicked himself mentally, he'd done it again.  
Hell, he was truanting. Was there any reason to be in denial?

He heard Matt's engine before he saw the car come over the small hill and along the narrow school road, glancing around nervously, Light walked forward along the sidewalk until Matt pulled up in front of him. He got in and glanced at the red head as he tossed his shirt and tie on the back seat. Matt was wearing a slightly baggy striped shirt and blue jeans with black converse sneakers.

He had no gloves on but had tight leather wrists bands on his arms, his goggles were pushed up onto his head and he glanced at Light, green eyes mishievious,  
"Missed me?" he asked Light with a grin as he started doing a U turn to go back down the two lane road.  
Light opted not to answer even though honestly, seeing Matt's cheeky smile made him smile too.

They drove down the street and passed the intersection and it was only once they were going toward the highway that Light, feeling a little easier having gotten away, chose to speak,  
"So where are we going?" he asked Matt who was leaning back, arms stretched out, one hand on the steering wheel as he accelerated to the high way speed, his other arm leaning on the open window, his red hair flicking back from his face by the force of the wind.  
He glanced at Light, the darkness around his eyes was less but still apparent,  
"We're going to my place, you can change into something of mine when we get there. You'll be home late tonight." He grinned.

Light raised his eyebrows,  
"I can't be…it's a week night, curfew is 8." He informed as if it were a normal thing and needed to be complied with, it would usually be if he were in control, but with Matt's slender fingers clutching the steering wheel and foot heavy on the accelerator, Light was so far from in control he knew the outcome even before Matt spoke,  
"Fuck your curfew, teenagers break their parents rules…it's a means to stay sane."  
"And your sane?" he mumbled with a role of his eyes, '…did I just give in again?' said eye twitched.  
"I probably was, once." Matt bobbed his eyebrows and turned some music on not too loudly.  
Light smirked and shook his head,  
"I'm gonna get into so much trouble…" he wasn't worried though and it felt…awesome.

Matt nodded,  
"You probably will."

Light had just barely managed to make his 12 o clock curfew on Saturday and that was only because the rest of them had had to go to Matt's dad's funeral on the Sunday.  
Light glanced around as they passed the sea side after taking a small highway turn off, the air was warm and smelled like the ocean, birds could be seen above the water and people walking along the sidewalks in bikini's and surf suits on the sunny day, chilling.

He was supposed to be in school but he hadn't wanted to be, he felt good right where he was, in Matt's passenger seat, chilling.  
"Sorry about your dad, Matt." He looked over at the red head and randomly offered the condolences, Matt gave him a side ways glance.  
He shrugged, un-phased apparently,  
"Get me a cigarette would ya." He gestured to the compartment below his cd player and Light blinked and then reached for the soft pack, a see through orange lighter was inside it. He took the lighter out and then one of the white and orange sticks and he looked at Matt.

He was still driving relatively fast and kept checking his mirrors since the sea side traffic was heavier, Light glanced at the cigarette and with a small grimace he placed it between his lips, doing like he'd seen many a person do, Light cupped one hand around the lighter in his other and lit the cigarette.

He breathed in quickly and felt the smoke catch his throat but was grateful he didn't cough too much as he removed the now burning cylinder from his mouth, smoke puffing from his mouth and in the air.  
It tasted completely different to the weed, bitter. Nicer. Light frowned and licked his lips.

Matt was frowning at him,  
"No prompting…you're definitely loosening up." he mumbled and Light held the burning cigarette out for him to take. Matt smirked as he stopped at a red robot and leaned over, tilting his head, calling Light closer with his index finger.

Light knew what was coming and he leaned over, '…willingly!' Damn it all!' he scolded himself. His lips met Matt's and his breath hitched.

Well…he'd expected more of a lip to lip kiss so his guard hadn't really been up.

After a moment and Light's tentative kiss back, Matt leaned back and glanced at the robot as he took the cigarette with his hand and inhaled from it, leaving it between his lips and smoking at the same time.  
He revved the car as the robot turned green,  
"I want more of that later…" he glanced at Light and the brunette turned bright red, he was still reeling from the many pangs of arousal he'd felt just a moment ago and then Matt made his comment.

He cleared his throat and Matt snickered.

* * *

Mello hadn't been lying when he said that Matt lived in an expensive suburban neighbourhood, it had beautiful views of the ocean and it was really big. Not at big as Near's mother's house but then again that was like a small mansion.

This place was stunning, the driveway was wide and the garage was double. There were stairs leading up to the house which was painted a soft beige color with glass windows all along the first floor and white curtains. Like a beach house but not on the beach.  
He walked behind Matt up the stairs and into the air conditioned living room through the wide glass door entrance, white tiles and black furniture with fancy rugs lay in well placed areas.

Matt dropped his keys into a key bowl and ran a hand through his hair,  
"This is my place…was my dad's, but he's dead now so…" he shrugged again and turned to walk away, "…come on." He called Light.

Light walked after him and glanced around, he could see a fully granite and tan wood kitchen through an arch and passed stairs heading to the second floor of the large duplex.  
They walked out onto a patio looking out over the side of the yard but above ground at least 2 and a half meters. There were stairs off to the left which led down again to the back yard, Light discovered as he followed, and in the backyard was a home sized almost kidney shaped pool and pool chairs under umbrella's along the right side of it, on these chairs were L, Mello, Near and Beyond.  
"Ladies…" Matt greeted with a grin as he walked ahead of Light who gave an overall wave and received nods from Beyond and L, a wink from Mello and Near just glanced at him.

Beyond and Mello were shirtless, Mello in his leather lace up pants and wearing Doc Marten lace up boots, his hair pulled back in a low ponytail. Beyond wore a 3 quarter black cargo pants, his lower legs visible between his pants and skater sneakers.  
L wore blue jeans and a fitted short sleeve white T with Deftones written in black across the shoulders on the back and the unlaced sneakers he'd been wearing that morning.

Near wore full black and sat with his legs pulled up on a pool chair covered in the shade of the large umbrella. Pale as he was, sun was no good.  
"Nice of you to join us and early too…school finally getting to be too fucking boring Mr. Academically Inclined?" Mello teased and sipped from a can of coca cola, a half eaten chocolate slab on the pool chair beside him.

Light went with the casual atmosphere,  
"I was being stalked." he said and Beyond laughed,  
"Pretty boys like you always attract the wrong attention…"  
"Who was stalking you?" Mello smiled.  
"Teru Mikami…" he mumbled, not thinking they'd know him.

But they all laughed and L was grinning,  
"I tried to save Light this morning but he wanted to entertain his little fan."  
"Teru Mikami will hide in your fucking closet, the guys a total desperately obsessed freak, always looking for someone to follow." Mello didn't say anything more, like how or why they knew him, but Light took the warning to heart.  
Mikami was crazy.

Matt patted his shoulder,  
"Hey, let's get you out of these school clothes…where's your shirt and stuff?" he asked seeing Light's hands empty as he followed him back inside.  
"I left it in the car." He informed and blindly followed the older boy upstairs.

The whole house was cool and airy, large windows let lots of wind go through the 4 bedroom house, he followed Matt down the hall and into a nice sized bedroom, it was spacious and not cluttered but the walls were plastered with posters and the windows in this room were closed for that reason he supposed.  
"Bathroom…" he pointed to the en-suite door between some cupboards, "….clothes you'll find in the cupboards, duh." He grinned at Light, "Towels in the top drawer…sex toys in the bottom drawer along with condoms and lube. Don't be long." He held his laughter at Light's wide eyed expression at his last comment and left the room and the door was left open.

Light wasn't about to go digging, he just opened one cupboard and found a jeans of the size he approved to be a reasonable fit. He left his T shirt on but pulled another more outdoors light grey T shirt over it, Light had never worn other people's clothes, he'd never done so many things that he was now finding less and less uncomfortable.

The idea of being able to have places to go hang out and get away from places like home…and recently school, it seemed so great. Yes they behaved in ways he wasn't all that happy with but he wasn't going to deny, by the vicious arousal that hit him earlier in the car, that he could…get used to it?

He glanced around at all the band and car posters.  
He'd always been good at keeping secrets from his family, they knew very little about Light's personality, they just assumed he was the sweet, kind person he pretended to be. He'd gotten so used to the pretence and had been sure he'd do it all his life…until now.

Until Matt called him a freak and L kicked him in his chest. Until Mello pressed against him in such a suggestive way and Beyond smacked his ass. Until Near told him he wasn't worth his time as if he were just another…regular guy they couldn't be bothered with.

Light knew he was more than people assumed but until he'd met these people, he'd been fine to pretend. He'd been fine to think he'd get married to some housewife material and be a detective one day, follow his father's dream, make his mother a grandparent, be the protective brother to his younger sister.

Now he wanted to do none of that. He didn't like kids and police work was so subjective and mostly full of paper work and red tape preventing cops from doing their jobs. Sayu…well, she would have to take knocks to learn lessons. It was life and Light had been so content in his pretence he'd forgotten that he was able to be anything other than what he was raised to be.

Of course…gay juvenile delinquent wouldn't be his first choice…but he'd figure it out. In the mean time, he'd try this life style, try out these…friends. And keep all the details that would make his parents suspicious to himself.  
"Hey…" Matt walked in as Light was straightening his hair in the full length mirror mounted on the outside of one of the cupboards.  
He turned to face the red head,  
"Jeans and shirt okay?" he asked with raised eyebrows.  
"The shirt is Mello's…but it fits you well. Jeans fit alright?" Matt asked and walked closer.  
"Yeah…waist is a little loose." He commented and almost jumped when Matt raised the shirt hem to see the jeans riding low on Light's waist, his boxer shorts visible.  
"I-I uh, have to put my school shoes back on though, they're leather loafers so its not so bad." He dared to look Matt straight in his face at the close proximity.

Matt's fingers moved lightly over Light's stomach and then to his sides, tickling the skin and Light kept his face straight as he stared at the slightly taller boy who leaned in and kissed him.

He breathed out through his nose and closed his eyes as his body was filled with so many feelings and all of them made the blood rush freely to lower region. All Light could think was, '…woah.'

The kiss ended and Matt grinned very naughtily,  
"I see you like that…" he pressed kisses to Light's mouth and bit at his lips as he did so.  
Light was aware that his problem was visible in the jeans and so he took the obvious in his stride,  
"Yeah…I did." He said very quietly and hated how choked he sounded.

Matt's grin turned devilish and he pushed Light back until he could shove him down onto the bed, Light's heart skipped several beats as he landed and Matt crawled over him making the brunette move backwards, his toes curling in his socks as Matt undid the belt buckle on his own jeans and kissed him again roughly.

Light was shaking. He was very scared.

Matt's hand took a hold of his right hand and brought it to his own stomach beneath his striped shirt, directing Light's shaking hand into the front of his low waist jeans and under his boxer hem.

Light's eyes shot open when his trembling fingers came into contact with Matt's length…thick and hard.

Matt separated from his mouth and looked down at Light as he curled Light's fingers around himself in his jeans, using his other arm to support himself above Light.  
Light closed his eyes and swallowed heavily and Matt started moving his hand and his mind was screaming at him that this was too much, too fast!

But Matt scared him and he couldn't say anything because of that.

He felt Matt's hand leave his own and he opened his eyes to find Matt's eyes looking over him with ill concealed lust,  
"Keep moving your hand…" he told Light.  
With as much will power as it took Light took in a breath,  
"I…I…Matt…I…" yeah, not much.  
Matt smirked knowingly,  
"Too soon?"

Light nodded and his bright red face made him look adorable to Matt. The red head had feisty and abusive in Mello, very kinky and reckless with L and now he had inexperienced and vulnerable with Light. It was a nice combination.  
"Fair enough…you'll come around. Better me than Beyond for your first time though, L might take you first…but don't hold your breath." He said very frankly and Light's breathing increased.

He had known they all had this sort of relationship, why was he panicking?  
Beyond scared him too actually. And Matt said first time…which meant it was part of their…plans to…de-flower him. He pulled his hand out of Matt's pants so quickly Matt laughed.

Matt raised Light's hand, he licked his fingers and leaned down, kissing Light again, who was fully aware of what he was tasting on his tongue.  
He frowned as he tasted it but he kissed Matt back anyway.  
'I must be gay…' he reasoned with himself miserably and the kiss ended, Matt looking down at him.  
"Matt…could I borrow Light if your done. I wanted to talk to him about tonight." L's voice broke Light's stare into Matt's green eyes and he sat up so fast he nearly hit Matt in the face, luckily the red head rolled off.

Matt blinked,  
"Panic much, dude? L's not gonna get mad at you." He laughed and L smiled at Light as he leaned in the bedroom doorway.

Light sat up more fully and pulled his legs up so his half arousal wasn't too obvious,  
"Talk about tonight?" he asked and his voice sounded almost normal, his face turning back to its fair tan complexion as he composed himself.  
Mello popped up and glanced at L,  
"Beyond had to go, he says he'll catch up with us tonight. He took Near home too. Don't know if the albino will join us later." He leaned next to L.

L gave him an acknowledging look and then looked back to the pair on the bed, Matt had fished a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it and he leaned against the head board as he smoked.  
"It's about going out tonight…" L mumbled.  
Matt was smiling and Mello smiled back,  
"Babe…I have a boner. You interested?" he asked the blonde.

Light flushed red all over again and glanced back at Matt who winked at him, the bulge still prominent in his jeans, when he turned back, shirtless Mello was crawling onto the bed, shoes and all.

He grabbed Matt's jeans at the front roughly and pushed his striped shirt up, biting at his firm stomach and making Matt smirk and lick his lips. All right beside Light.

He stared as Mello opened Matt's jeans and then he moved quickly, jumping off the bed and so tired of blushing. He kept his back turned and stared at L who was smirking.  
"You can look…Light. It might interest you."  
"Tha-that's okay." He said short of breath and he heard Matt's small laugh turn into a moan behind him.

He walked toward the door and L stepped in his way, his slender hand raised to take a gentle hold of Light's face,  
"Just…look." His grey eyes insisted.  
Light was shaking again hearing Matt make another pleasured sound.

L stepped forward and turned Light around, wrapping his arms around Light's shoulders from behind and resting his chin on the brunette's shoulder.  
Light was frozen and confused and scared.

Mello was giving Matt head. Plain and simple.

He felt worse about his control as he sensed himself getting turned on and L's kisses on his neck made it worse. He swallowed and raised his shaky hands to the arms around him, weakly prying them loose, L let go and watched as Light turned his sight away from Matt and Mello and walked out of the room.

L blinked and looked back at the pair,  
"See you two downstairs…" he said nonchalantly.

Mello 'hm'd' and Matt moaned.


	10. Roller Coaster

**AN: ****Huge THANKS to kookielawlyuki for sorting out the translations for me!**

******This chapter has been edited slightly to suit FF guidelines.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

* * *

Light was a bit rushed in getting down the stairs, the air from the open door leading down to the back yard woke him up a bit when it rustled his hair and he stopped just short of exiting. He could feel he'd broken out in a slight sweat at some point, he felt awfully hot and bothered.

Seeing what he had in that room a moment ago had been a real eye opener, sure he'd seen them kiss and play and joke and tease. He'd even seen what he'd seen through that bathroom door key hole a few nights back…but still, he hadn't been so blatantly face to face with it.  
'That was real…it was…they were…' he blinked and rubbed his face with clammy hands as he moved to go outside but a hand settled lightly on his shoulder and he jumped, turning around and stepping backward outside, moving until he felt the wooden banister of the high patio behind him. Light averted his gaze from L's nonchalant look and leaned on the banister, trying to breathe calmly.

"Would you like something to drink Light?" L asked casually and when Light glanced at him he tipped his head in the direction of the kitchen through the archway and started walking away. Light hesitated but after a deep breath he pushed himself off the banister and followed L's path into the kitchen.

He walked in as L closed the large silver reflective fridge, two beer bottles held by their thin necks in one of his slender hands. He walked over to Light and held one out to him and with a huff the brunette took it and unscrewed the cap.  
"You want to talk about it?" L was smirking so he was mocking and it upset Light a little, watching the pale dark haired teen as he took a sip from his own opened beer, his grey eyes amused as he watched Light's upset face.

But Light took the opportunity,  
"Yes I do, actually." he gripped the thin bottle in his hand, the same hand that had been around Matt's length and Light suddenly wanted to wash his hands, even if it was small in comparison to what had been in his mouth.  
He walked around L and over to the sink and placed the bottle down on the counter, opening the tap of the sink to start rinsing his hands as he sighed.  
"Spit it out." L said sounding bored and pulled out a chair at the glass kitchen table, sitting down with one leg underneath himself.

Light shut off the water and leaned on the sink,  
"I…I just…it's…ugh…L I'm…" he couldn't say it; he couldn't say he was scared and confused. He couldn't say it no matter what, he didn't want to sound pathetic…even if touching Matt had scared him and everything they did confused him.  
"Any day now…" L mumbled before taking a long drink from his beer.

Light was so frustrated with all of their disinterest, none of them seemed to care how this affected him. But then he knew this was the norm for them so maybe they expected he'd just get over it.

'Maybe I'm not gay…maybe I'm just scared and…' he groaned inwardly, feeling the way he did when he was in those convenient situations was defiantly a sexual reaction, he was too smart to play dumb.

He turned around, absently wiping his hands dry on the jeans he wore, too distracted to care right then,  
"It's just too much…too fast." He said as he focused his hazel eyes on L.  
The pale teen looked as if he'd been ignoring Light as he turned the bottle round and round with his fingers on the table surface.

Light grabbed his own drink and took some liquid into his mouth, swishing it round his mouth to help ease his obsessive compulsive mind.  
"Light…what's the furthest you've gone with a girl?" L's smooth voice made Light focus on him again.  
"I'm not talking about this…" Light mumbled and left the kitchen with quick steps, needing to be outside in the fresh air.  
"But you just said you wanted to talk about it…" L was laughing and it frustrated the brunette even more as he walked out of the front door, not sure why, maybe because he didn't think L would follow him there.

He leaned on the concrete wall and looked out over at the red Camaro parked outside of the garage, part of him wished he had a license, he could drive then and the idea of leaving right now tempted him, even if he 'borrowed' the car.

He pictured Matt killing him and the temptation died. His mind clicked straight back to Matt and what had happened.  
He had liked it, he had wanted to kiss Matt but when he saw the true nature of where this would all lead to it was a huge wake up call.

He was standing there for about 10 minutes before the door opened behind him, Light glanced at his side when L came and stood beside him. He sipped the beer, not even liking the taste but drinking it just because,  
"So what was it you wanted to say about tonight?" Light changed the subject.  
L had no drink with him now and he leaned down, resting his forearms on the wall and his chin on his arms,  
"We're going to play a small gig at UCLA campus and afterward we're going to a party on the campus…"  
"Gig?" Light asked and glanced at L.  
"Hm." Was L's response, "…Matt made you a fake ID since the parties on that campus are monitored to a certain extent."

Light turned to face him now,  
"What!? That's illegal!" he frowned at L.  
L rolled his eyes and smiled still with his chin on his arms,  
"You'll have fun…it'll be new to you, yes?"  
"Matt makes fake ID's?" Light asked belatedly.  
"Hm." L responded again and then stood up, "…let's go inside Light." L instructed.

Light was short to catch himself as he followed, only realizing once he was already inside that he had just allowed L to instruct him.  
'This is just getting fucking ridiculous…'

He saw L sit down in the lounge and was moving to sit in another chair when L's eyes caught his own and with a smirk L gestured to the seat next to him on the two seat couch tilting his head suggestively.  
Light felt his heart beat a bit faster, he didn't want to think it, but something about L sitting with one leg rested across the other, leaning back and smirking at him like that was…appealing.  
'I'm like a godamned school girl!' he glanced around before placing the almost empty beer on the black and glass coffee table and he sat next to L, crossing his legs and folding his arms over his chest.

L laughed again and the sound was enough to make Light turn to look beside him,  
"What?"  
"You're behaving like an upset girlfriend…" he informed Light with raised eyebrows.  
"…fuck you." Light mumbled and L laughed quietly again.  
He didn't look at L when he felt the other teen shift and then Light felt L's nose and mouth near his ear and L's tongue was felt against the shell of his ear and teeth against his lobe.

Light swallowed and closed his eyes, he'd done that to a girlfriend once but never had it done to him and never had he thought it could be so enjoyable.  
L pulled back and Light dared to look at him, their faces were sort of close and L's eyes were focused on Light's mouth,  
"The fastest I ever got into a girl's panties was within 2 and a half hours of meeting her. Matt's the only one who beats my record. His fastest time was 30 minutes."

The information baffled Light, girls? Were they not all gay?

"I was on a couch exactly the way I am with you now…it started the same way this did too." L seemed amused and Light ignored the small mockery of him acting like a girl because he felt like he was acting like a girl as bad as it was.  
"I thought you all like boys…I thought you are all gay." He was looking at L from a side angle as L turned his face to look at the flat screen TV which was left on the music channel.  
"Gay huh…you people and your labels." He smiled and Light looked at the straight white teeth, L's face looked so naughty when he smiled like that…like Matt and Mello. Why did they all have such devious smiles?

"What kind of people am I?"  
"I think you know Light…that whatever you are, is not what I am." He turned back to Light and leaned closer, kissing Light's mouth slightly and smiling again.  
"I don't wear panties." Light said to try and focus on anything other than his heart beat increasing, L made his stomach flutter, it was strange, the arousal seemed to start from a different place when L kissed him.  
"What then…your boxer shorts are my goal?" he teased and kissed Light's neck, biting his skin slightly below his jaw, L was leaning facing Light's direction just a bit as Light sat back.  
"I thought Matt and Beyond are likely to get there first…I shouldn't hold my breath for you." He sounded like he was saying it with some irritation.

L pulled back from kissing his neck and he blinked lazily at Light, Light unconsciously held his breath as L stared at him and then he felt L's hand on his jean clad thigh very lightly and his hazel eyes darted between the hand and L's face.  
"Would you like it to be me Light?" the question was very straightforward and L had his one eyebrow raised. Light turned red in his face and averted his gaze, he didn't think he could answer that question.

He kept his eyes averted for a while and then he felt L shift again and when he looked over L had gotten up and was pulling his vibrating cell phone from his pocket,  
"B?" L answered.  
Light felt a little jealous when he thought about the favorites thing Matt had mentioned, where L and B each other's favorites?  
"Yeah…we're going to leave at around 7, it's a half hours drive and the gigs at eight…we'll hang out at Matt's dorm while we wait maybe."

Light blinked and his eyes widened.  
'Matt goes to UCLA?' he was a little more than stunned, UCLA was one of the prominent Universities of the West LA region. He turned to look away from L who was talking about instruments having already been taking there that morning.

He was really confused now, wondering again about whether he really understood anything about them, new questions arose from hearing that.  
How old is Near? Did Beyond work or go to university? What was Mello's story?  
"See you later then, is Near coming? Oh…right. Should have known." L laughed and walked in a small circle as he talked, "…That's fine, I'll stay at your place. Okay, bye." L ended the call and turned to Light, sitting back down.  
"How old is Near?" Light asked.

L pulled one leg up to his chest, his sneaker was up on the black leather couch,  
"Old enough…" L dismissed and Light frowned, that was second time Near's age had been evaded and L's response made him wonder if Matt had lied about knowing Near's age.  
"You lie a lot huh?" he asked L with an impassive stare.

L's grin scared him a little,  
"Light, you ask such boring questions. Shall we?" he asked and Light blinked as he looked L in the face, L leaning forward and brushing his nose against Light's.  
"Shall we what?" L asked quietly.  
"Make out…" that naughty smile returned and when L kissed him again the butterflies in his stomach started, Light let L kiss him properly and having done this more than a few times now, he kissed back.

Kissed a boy…back.

He didn't want to leave L unimpressed so he turned on some of his…mojo, trying to kiss L the way he kissed girls into a tizzy, closing his eyes to concentrate.  
L seemed to enjoy it and for a while Light was leading the kiss, he'd never been the type to grope girls during kissing so he didn't do that now either, raising a hand and placing it very lightly on L's face.  
He was really enjoying himself when he felt L smile against his mouth, Light pulled back and licked his lips.

L seemed amused,  
"What's funny?"  
"You're such a gentlemen…girls probably love that you don't try to feel them up…me on the other hand, not so much." He raised his arm and leaned his elbow up on the back of the couch, resting his head against his hand.

It was right then Light became aware of talking upstairs and laughing…Matt and Mello were talking and he was blushing just slightly because of L's words.  
"Don't feel bad…you're a good kisser, I liked it. I'm not a girl though." L's eyes trailed over Light's face as they sat facing each other. Light glanced down at L's lap and he saw that L had liked it, a memory of earlier with Matt popped into his head…touching L would be the same as when he'd touched Matt.

L sighed,  
"My turn then?"  
Light blinked and was caught unawares when L's hand was at the back of his neck and he was brought forward into a kiss, much like Matt's, as deep but not as rough. L worked his mouth easily controlling the kiss and Light just fell into L's movements until L bit his lip and Light yelped and pulled back. L smiled at him,  
"That's horny kissing…what you did was technique kissing." He admitted all too easily and licked his lips.

"What's the difference?" Light had caught his breath and was wondering.  
"What you did was make out with me, as I suggested. Technique kissing is just kissing for the sake of kissing. Horny kissing is meant to lead to an entirely different place." He informed Light as the hand was back on his thigh and shifted up just slightly.

Feeling somewhat annoyed Light realized something,  
"Are you telling me how to kiss?"  
"Practice, Light." L said simply, just like he had about the clothes.

L leaned forward again and Light leaned all the way this time, kissing L first just to be aggressive because he expected L's horny kissing again. But after a moment of L kissing him very sensually and skillfully and Light becoming light headed, he frowned slightly.  
L's hand shifted down to his knee, thin fingers squeezing over his knee and raising a little higher on his thigh again and the hand that was above them on the couch coming down and slipping into Light's hair, tilting his head so L could do just one more wonderful thing…Light couldn't help the small breathless moan that passed his lips.

Although he wished he could have.

L pulled back and licked Light's lower lip after biting it again,  
"That, Light…is how I kiss girls." He smirked and Light turned away from him.  
"Don't be mad…" he laughed quietly, "…I didn't even go for 2nd base."  
Light scoffed,  
"You think insulting me makes this whole thing any better?" he asked indignantly.  
"No…I think you already know what you want but your just being stubborn. When the denial passes…" L trailed off as Mello and Matt came down the stairs, Matt now shirtless as well but his jeans and belt buckle were securely in place.  
"Matt…why don't you make us alcoholic smoothies. I don't think Light likes beer." L suggested as he leaned his chin on the back of the couch and smiled up at the red head.

Light stood up and had his back faced to them since having the bulge in his jeans made him self conscious.  
"Sounds good…Light, what flavour."  
"Perhaps Banana, Light?" L asked him.

Mello laughed and Light narrowed his eyes, feeling it was safer to turn around,  
"I think I'm just gonna call a cab and go home."  
"He was teasing you…come on." Mello defended as Light walked to the front door.  
"Yeah well, I guess I'm just not up to it…besides I have soccer practice tomorrow afternoon so I need to pre prepare my kit bag…" he heard silence behind him and he glanced back as he opened the door.

They all burst out laughing and L stood up,  
"You have soccer practice…? Honestly. I'll stop teasing, just stop giving me reason's too." L walked around the couch to stand near Matt and Mello.  
"You're an asshole aren't you?" Light shot back, thinking of just what a dick L was being.

He expected L to at least be offended but the other teen just shrugged,  
"I try." He pushed his hair back from his face and when Light glanced at Matt and Mello he saw adoration in their smiles as they watched L.

And although L was very…appealing, Light was not gonna say hot, those looks baffled him. There was so much more to these people and their relationships.  
"Look, I have to keep living normally or my family is gonna wonder where the Light Yagami they know has disappeared to." He decided to be a little more honest as well as partially make that an excuse, yes he wanted to stay, but at the same time he didn't want to be teased, he wasn't used to it.  
"You mean the fake Light?" L raised a fine black eyebrow.

Light didn't answer.  
"Forget the smoothies. Either way Light, you're not leaving. Don't make me tie you to Matt's bed." Mello grinned and walked over, putting an arm around Light's shoulder and Light sighed and walked back through the lounge to the back patio doors with Mello.

L and Matt followed, Light heard L telling Matt what Beyond had said when he called.  
"No…you guys should stay here tonight, all of you." Matt offered.  
"Hm, I'll text him then, the drive to his place is farther anyway." L reasoned.

"L's just trying to get you to stop taking everything so seriously…" Mello mumbled and got Light's attention as they approached the pool and he let his arm drop from around Light's shoulders. Light looked over Mello's well toned upper body but his eyes focused on the expensive gold cross chain around Mello's neck,  
"You're religious?"  
"Aren't we all?" Mello smiled and grabbed the small cross, kissing it with the same lips he'd committed a sin, according to the catholic religion the cross represented, with just a short while ago.  
"Can't say that I am."  
"Even you believe that something can save you from yourself…you just don't know it yet."

Light stared into Mello's crystal blue eyes, they seemed shades lighter with the sun on Mello's face, prettier, less harsh but somehow emptier.  
"How old is Near?" he tested before Matt and L, who had stopped to talk near the stairs, came into earshot.

Mello laughed,  
"Near's a fucking vampire…he doesn't age and though he day walks, the sun will kill him after a while." It was a morbid joke that Mello said easily about the albino who he seemed to both like and dislike.  
"…okay." Light said confused and Mello patted his shoulder,  
"Don't sweat the details Light."

That particular avoided detail was starting to get Light way too curious.  
When Light glanced over again to L and Matt he was only mildly surprised to see them kissing, it reminded him of that day in the skate park bushes, L had looked so vulnerable sandwiched between B and Matt.

It still made Light a little uncomfortable how they jumped from one to the other and yet they seemed so easy going about it that he could feel it bothering him less and less.  
"Did you and Matt…uh…" Light ventured.  
Mello had sat down on a pool chair.  
"…fuck?" he completed for Light who nodded very slightly.  
"Nah…" he answered simply.

Light shifted and sat down on a pool chair across from Mello, glancing at Light and Matt, they were talking again and Matt was pointing at the house as he spoke, one hand rested slightly inside the low waist of his jeans and L was leaning against the banister of the stairs.  
"I wanna get high…" Mello said and picked up the somewhat melted chocolate on the pool chair he'd left it on before. He peeled back the wrapper and made a face,  
"I hate melted chocolate."

L came over,  
"Grab your shirt Mello…we're gonna go and get something to eat before tonight. Matt says he has E and Beyond still has coke." He was speaking in a low monotone.  
"Sweet…you answered my prayers. I'm gonna grab a shirt…" he got up and walked toward the house.

L gestured for Light to come along as he stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets and walked toward the stairs again, Light sighed and got up to follow.

* * *

Matt flirted endlessly with the waitress who had brought the food over to their booth and she was simply helpless by the time he asked for her number. Mello didn't seem to notice and L was too busy stuffing his face with a large double cheese burger to care, or were they even supposed to care?

Light started eating with his knife and fork, dissecting his burger neatly and without mess on his plate while the others all ate with their hands.

They were sitting in the smoking section and Matt lit up shortly after he'd finished his burger, glancing at the waitress who came by,  
"Love, could you bring a slice of double choc fudge cake and a slice of strawberry shortcake please." Matt glanced at Light, "…you want anything?"

Light shook his head and Matt nodded to the girl who smiled so stupidly before rushing off.

He sighed and glanced around the slightly busy food place, L was texting someone and Matt was pushing hair away from Mello's face. All so comfortable in the silence, all except for him but he wanted to get there.

He glanced around again and to Light's complete and utter horror he saw Sayu walk in with Misa Amane, Mello's stupid slut sister as he had affectionately dubbed her after their initial meeting. Mello saw his sister and recognized Light's sister, as did Matt but L had no clue who she was.

Misa spotted them grinning and Light held his breath as his sister turned when Misa did and frowned at seeing Light as they came over.  
"Cutie!" Misa said very excitedly and with no hesitation in all of her short skirted glory, she sat on L's lap, he was at the end of the booth, and then raised her legs and shifted over L so she was sitting in between L and Light.

L wasn't fazed and as Light shifted closer to Mello in the booth and Misa shifted closer to him, L moved up so Sayu could sit down beside him.  
"Hey Sayu…" Mello winked and Matt smiled at her, she waved cutely and tucked her long brown hair back before turning to look at L,  
"Hi, I'm Sayu." Her English was not nearly as good as Light's.

"Anata ni aete ureshiidesu." (_Don't go so far for me.)_ L smiled at her, "…call me L."  
She smiled brightly and Light, who was annoyed enough with Misa's arms around his neck and kisses to his cheek, was more irritated with Sayu's overly interested smile.

L was after all, not too old for her. Not that it was something one could tell straight off the bat, but L's smile was different, it wasn't like Mello and Matt's simple smiles when they looked at his baby sister, it was like a teenage boy would smile at a girl he might like. Light hated that smile!  
"Anata ga nihongo o hanasu! Subarashii!" (_You speak Japanese! Wonderful!)_ she beamed when L smiled wider, revealing that full smile but without the naughtiness, needless to say Sayu blushed, "Soshite, anata wa totemo kawaiidesu." (_And, you're really cute.)_

She added a little more quietly and pursed her lips.

Light fumed and ignored Misa's incessant chatter over to Mello, Sayu…was flirting!  
"Sayu! You're supposed to speak English so you get better at it." he said firmly and the girl jumped in fright as if just remembering her brother was there,  
"Ah…yes, sorry oniisan." She glanced nervously at everyone.  
"You're Light's sister?" L questioned.  
"Yes." Light answered stiffly and looked back at her,  
"What are you…" he paused and glanced at Misa's blonde hair in his face, none too politely he pushed her to sit in her seat by her shoulders and gave her a look that made her pout before he looked again to Sayu, "…I was asking you Sayu, what you're doing here…with…Misa?" He glanced at the blonde.

Mello looked highly amused, he'd been staring at his half sister with boredom from the moment she started chattering about Mello forgetting her birthday.  
"Misa wanted to have lunch Light, it's her birthday!" Sayu leaned forward on the table, not forgetting to give L her cutest 'I'm mature' look.  
'Ah…the pieces fit…' he understood what Misa had been on about.  
"So you asked my 15 year old sister to lunch?" he glanced at Misa.  
"I'm 16!"  
"In 2 months." Light shot back at her as she frowned at him.

"See Mello, Light is such a good brother! He remembers his sister's birthday!" Misa squeaked and her arms latched around Light's neck again making him seethe quietly.  
"Light, don't be mean!" Sayu said and it sounded cute with her angry high pitched tone.  
"Light quit being mean to your sister." Mello said with a smile as he leaned against Matt who was laughing quietly.  
"You're defending Sayu! I'm your sister!" Misa let go of Light and shook her head so her blonde pigtails wiggled as she pushed her glossed lips out angrily.

Mello sighed and looked back at Light defeated,  
"Light, don't be mean to Misa."  
Light's eyes widened and he shifted more toward Mello,  
"Sayu, go home." He spoke to Sayu.  
"Nani!" she shouted, "…Sonogo,-ka ni kaeru hitsuyō ga arimasu mo!"

Misa was the only one who didn't understand Japanese and she blinked, Mello could see this might end badly and they were receiving looks so he intervened.  
"Hey, shut the fuck up!"  
They all fell silent, well Misa stopped nagging, Light had been about to argue back and Sayu was huffing.

L raised his eyebrows and Matt dragged Mello's chocolate milkshake closer to himself to drink it while the blonde was distracted.  
"Light, what's wrong with Sayu being here to eat?" he enquired.  
Light glared at him,  
"Misa is…" he glanced at her, "…too old for Sayu to be eating lunch with her."  
"Misa Misa is young at heart." The blonde girl quipped.  
"Shut it." Mello snapped at her and she huffed now as well, arms across her chest.

"Let her eat with us…then I'll take her home." Matt offered and Sayu smiled happily at him.  
"I agree with Matt." L said and Light turned his glare to the dark haired boy.  
"Fine." He mumbled and Sayu clapped her hands once in happiness.

So Misa ordered food and Sayu did as well when the waitress came back with the two slices of cake shortly after, apologizing for the delay. Matt's charm had her babbling again and she went on her way to get the new orders.

When the food came Light finally had a chance to breathe because Misa had to eat, she spoke so loudly and kept on trying to hug him and touch him and it was giving him a migraine.  
"I need to go to the bathroom…" he looked at Mello with a fork of cake in his mouth, who looked at Matt and they moved out of the booth, Light all but scrambled to get out and then rushed off to the bathroom.  
"I need to fetch cigarettes from the car." Matt sighed and stood up and walked toward the exit, tossing his empty packet into a bin as he passed the exit.

* * *

Light washed his hands after relieving himself and glanced in the mirror, he felt like everything was getting too close. The first time they'd been near his house he'd been scared, now they seemed less intimidating because he was a little closer, but they were getting even closer now. And he couldn't stand Misa!

He was glad that it was after 4 pm because no one would think he'd skipped school at this time of day, but he worried because if Misa had Sayu with her then she knew where they lived.  
He narrowed his eyes and looked away from the mirror thinking it through, he wondered how Sayu could get away with that, his mother would never let her leave the house with a woman so much older. So Misa probably picked her up from school which was a relief because then the crazy bitch didn't know where he lived.  
'For now…' he groaned inwardly.

He left the bathroom and walked toward the table where they sat, slowing his walk when his eyes fell on L and Sayu.  
There was L in all of his not so gay glory, with an arm on the booth behind Sayu's head, smiling in that oh so charming way and…Sayu was eating cake from a fork offered by L's hand.  
Chewing it…giggling…smiling, blushing.  
'That is how he gets girls…if they were alone he'd be…' Light clenched his jaw, L was not getting into his sister's panties.

He walked faster and saw Misa still complaining to Mello who whipped out a $100 dollar bill from the tight back pocket of his pants,  
"Here, buy yourself a present from me and shut the hell up!"  
"You're inconsiderate!" she grabbed the money and stuffed it in her bra, pulling tongues at him and Mello rolled his eyes.

Light ignored the large amount of money Mello just happened to have on him and he sat down in the end across from L and his sister next to Mello,  
"Sayu…you should go home now." He said calmly and L turned to him with that smirk, except when directed at Light it turned to a naughtier one, L placed his fork into his own mouth finishing off the cake.  
"Light, what present are you going to give me…?" Misa said in what Light assumed was her 'sexy' voice.  
"A fucking restraining order." He smiled at her in a nasty but nice way and both Mello and L cracked up.

Misa huffed and rolled her eyes and Sayu blinked,  
"Light, that's so impolite."  
"Home, now." He raised an eyebrow at her.  
Matt walked in and came over,  
"So…it's almost 5…what's the plans?"  
"Please take my sister home." Light asked.  
"Light, stop treating me like a baby!" she said with red cheeks.  
"Sayu!" he silenced her and she looked like she would cry, she grabbed her school jersey which was on L's lap, Light noticed, and she rushed from the seat, Matt stepping aside.  
"I brought her…I should take her home. Her bag's in my car anyway." Misa said and L moved so she could get out, everyone seemed to be quite solemn after Light had yelled and his face was set in anger, but Misa confirmed indirectly she'd fetched Sayu from school and he was a little relieved by that.  
"You sure? I can take her." Matt asked the shorter blonde.  
"Yeah its fine, I'm gonna go and buy myself something with my present from Mello."  
"You coming to the party on campus?" Matt enquired and Light hoped above hope she wasn't.  
"Yeah, I'll see. A friend of mine wanted to have a girl's night but I don't feel like it. You guys picking up the tab?" she glanced at them.

L was surprisingly the one that nodded,  
"Lunch was on me."  
"Oh no sweetie, if it was I would have had the pleasure of eating it off of you." She smiled naughtily and L laughed,  
"Misa Misa is such a tease." He said while standing next to her and smiling in a sexy way. Different smiles for different people, Light noticed.

L had many faces.

"Never for too long though." She winked and turned, L giving her rear a smack as she did so and she smiled and shook her head as she left.

Mello had no reaction to any of it, he was in fact still eating his cake and ignoring them all.

There was some unsettling silence and Light tried to calm down while Mello finished his cake. L whipped out a credit card and Light noted this, these people had money.

And then they left, Light walking far from L and feeling very uncomfortable. The idea of L and his sister…it bothered him.

After that they went back to Matt's place and everyone freshened up, Light choosing to text his mother and tell her he was with friends and would be home before 8, which was a lie and he just knew it but he had to ease the idea . A part of Light didn't wanna go home to his boring family, he wanted to be out and even though he was upset with lunch, he still didn't mind their company like he knew he should.

When they arrived at the campus after a long drive in the car where Mello who was sitting next to him in the back decided to take a power nap in his lap, Light got out and glanced around at the busy large house.  
"It's a frat party." Matt informed him after locking the car parked on the curb, "…we're on for an hour and we get paid for it, other wise I'd never do it. I've beat up about 4 of these cunts in this fraternity already." He admitted as he pulled his goggles over his eyes, walking alongside Light.

Mello and L were walking ahead of them and Light decided to ask the redhead,  
"So what do you major in?"  
Matt glanced at him,  
"Forensics."  
"Really?" Light wondered.  
"Yeah. I do some other stuff on the side." He shrugged.  
"How's it going?"  
"I manage."

Light got the same feeling of 'no big deal' when he received answers about the studies as when Matt answered about his father, like there was more to it but it didn't bother Matt, everything was relaxed with Matt.

Light was startled out of his thoughts when an arm was swung around his neck as he and Matt walked up the path to the noisy party house, Beyond was leaning on them both,  
"Hey fuckers…do we have time for a beer and some e?"  
Matt grinned,  
"I think we do."  
"Not interested." Light mumbled.

Beyond laughed and Light smiled.

They stopped short of the house and Matt pulled out a small student ID for another university in the area and handed it to Light, it looked so real that Light was surprised; it said he was 21 and majoring in law. It had a student number and the thing that scared Light the most, was that it had a recent photo of him which was on his real school ID.  
"That's your story and you're sticking to it." Matt tapped the ID in Light's hands and then without being left much room to question, they walked up to the door.

Matt and Beyond flashed their real ID's, Matt's student ID and Beyond's drivers license. They told the door guy that Light was with them and after he checked Light's ID, they entered.

* * *

Light had been speechless when he'd seen the 4 of them get up on the tiny corner platform and Matt sat down at the drums, L and B picked up guitars and Mello picked up a bass. It was like being in a strange dream when they started playing and hearing L singing stunned him even more.

They sounded really good, it wasn't his type of music but it wasn't bad.

When he asked about it they all told him it was just what they did to pass time in Matt's garage but once he awkwardly complimented them, receiving a few gropes and hair rustles in their jovial atmosphere, they left the frat house and went over to a campus party along a few different roads.

Girls and guys were making out everywhere and loud music blared through speakers inside the building halls, there was lots of alcohol and noise and many students dorm room doors were open.  
He'd had only 2 beers but the noise level was giving him a headache, the others didn't seem to notice it, they were sitting with some other people that Matt knew and he watched them interact in a completely normal way.

They were guys being guys, flirting with girls and joking with guys, not looking even slightly out of place. It was another different world, because at the other party it had been a different crowd and the behavior was very different.

Light was flirted with a few times as well, some girls more aggressively asking for numbers straight out, but he did no such thing, lying and saying he had a girlfriend. Cowardly…but hey.

The one thing he did discover was that the ecstasy and coke wasn't a secret, they'd moved to Matt's dorm and it got a bit crowded as they all partook and Light just hung back leaning against a wall with a beer in his hand, sipping it slowly to make it last, trying to keep sane.

He became severely unhappy a little later, time was forgotten about, when Misa showed up.

He was talking to Mello about what little he knew of motorcycles when she latched onto him, arms round his neck and pressing herself against him where he stood against a wall. She pressed her mouth to his when he hadn't expected it and it didn't take even a moment to push her off but she had transferred something into his mouth and feeling it sticking to his tongue as he tasted it, Light spat it out in his hand.

It was a square piece of hard paper in a reddish color.  
"What the fuck?" he asked her, ignoring her as she took the beer from his hand and drank from it, she winked and left with his beer, going over to a group of people Matt and B were talking to.  
"That's acid." Mello said over the loud music and Light's eyes widened as he looked at Mello standing beside him,  
"What?"  
"On that piece of paper…acid." he pointed with a beer in his hand.  
"The…t-he drug?" Light panicked.

Mello smirked and nodded and stuck his tongue out revealing he had one in his mouth too, a different color paper.  
"It won't have any effect right? I spat it out too quickly." He asked leaning closer to Mello.  
Mello shrugged,  
"First time users are weak, I don't know…" the blonde shrugged.

He didn't know…?  
Light didn't know…!

* * *

But when he woke up to the sound of his alarm the next day on the floor next to his bed still wearing Mello and Matt's clothes, things would slowly start to piece themselves back together.


	11. Territorial Pissings

**AN: This chapter has been censored.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

* * *

It was strange enough waking up on the floor as it was but when Light felt a headache that sent pain from his temples to his toes run through him, he couldn't help but make a pained sound and lay his head back on the floor.

He was on his back and his head felt very heavy, he wiggled his fingers and toes and opened his eyes. His room was dim but he could vaguely make out early morning light coming through his closed curtains. He made another pained sound as he forced himself up, rolling onto his stomach and using the full support of his knees to push himself up before he trusted his strangely sore hands to help him.

He sat back on his legs as he knelt on the floor and blinked a few times to get his bearings, the headache had shifted back to only his head now but his hands still hurt, he glanced down at them and turned them over, palms to knuckles and his hazel and red tired eyes widened when he saw cuts and slight bruising on his knuckles and…dried blood.

"Shit…" he mumbled and he noticed how dry his mouth was and it tasted awful. He swallowed and leaned forward with his hands on the floor, hanging his head.

He remembered what had happened the night before, when he looked at his hands it had started becoming clear again, of course it didn't make him feel any better though.

Finally after a minute he decided he needed to start moving.

It was Tuesday. He had to go to school. Light got to his feet, using the bed he'd probably fallen out of at some point to help him get up and once he was vertical he had to sit on the bed again so he didn't fall over from dizziness.

It didn't feel worth it, taking drugs and drinking, only to feel like this the next day? How did they all do it?

He glanced around his room, it was untouched and he was still fully clothed, his shoes were not on though. He took a little comfort knowing he remembered everything, well mostly and he hadn't been violated.

He stood up slowly and stretched, deciding to move on and get through this day with as little hitches as possible, _'I planned that yesterday too, look how that worked out…'_ he rubbed his face and his temples as he stood slightly wobbly on his feet.

It wasn't until Light glanced at the clock when the sleep alarm went off again and he saw what the time was that he started panicking.

The red numbers very boldly read 08:36 and school started at 9,

"Jesus!" he said a bit unlike himself and started scrambling, grabbing a towel from a drawer in his room and rushing out of his door to the bathroom.

* * *

It was in record time but with no grace or neatness that Light rushed down the stairs of his home at 08:51, his tie was stuffed into his un-ironed uniform pants pocket and his school shirt was half way open with a grey T shirt underneath. His hair had no styling spray or gel and was still slightly wet from the shower. He stuck his feet into his shoes at the entrance hall just as he heard his mother call to him from the kitchen.

He knew, he knew exactly what she wanted to know, Light had only gotten in at around 11 pm , his weekday curfew was 8.

"Light!" she called again and he heard her coming closer.

Not interested in his lack of books, bag, lunch, money or stationary, he yanked the front door open,

"Can't talk, late for school!" he called and closed the door behind him a bit too loudly, practically running through the lawn in yard and over the next door neighbours lawn until he was walking very quickly along the sidewalk and his house was distancing.

"I'm going to be late…again…shit!" he cursed to himself quietly and ran his hands through his damp hair, not paying attention to it right then as he power walked through the suburban road.

He wanted to scold himself for taking long in the bathroom but he'd had to brush that awful taste from his mouth even if it took him 3 consecutive tries, he tasted better. But his head ached and his hands were still sore and bruised, he had also discovered when he'd been brushing his teeth that his upper lip was split pretty badly.

He heard a hooter and glanced at the road behind him as he crossed over, hands stuck in his pockets and looking every bit the shady teenager, Light stopped just before the curb and narrowed his eyes as the Golf 6 that belonged to Mello pulled up along side him, some heavy metal blaring from the speakers far too early in the morning.

"Morning sunshine…need a ride? You got 5 minutes to make the gates before they close em'." The blonde, who looked far too fresh to have been on the same trip as Light the night before, smiled dazzlingly at him, dark sunglasses hiding his blue eyes and his lean form clad in full black jeans and plain cotton black T.

Light didn't think twice and opened the passenger door, sitting in the air-conditioned car and grateful to be out of the sun beating down on his sore head, he leaned back and sunk into the seat as Mello continued down the street.

"Need a Red Bull?"

Light glanced at the blonde who turned the music down,

"Yeah…" Light mumbled.

"Backseat." Mello informed and Light leaned around his seat and grabbed a Red Bull from the opened six pack that had two missing already.

He sat back and drank half of it in one go,

"You have any pain killers?" Light asked speaking quietly.

"Yeah…cubby." He pointed to the dashboard.

Light took two of the red and green capsules and swallowed them with the remaining highly caffeinated drink, when it was finished he placed it in the small compartment between him and Mello, he hoped it would help him feel better before he had his first class that morning.

"How do you do it…?" he asked Mello as they neared the two large school gates, some kids still walking up, the stragglers, Light was a straggler.

Mello smirked,

"You get used to it and you eventually learn your limit and if you go over your limit, you tend to know how you'll react." He glanced at Light but his eyes were hidden.

"Light you look awful…" Mello told him as they turned into the guest parking of the school and Mello parked in the mostly empty space.

"I feel awful." He groaned and rubbed his face.

"You wanna take off, we'll go back to my place and you can sleep the hangover off." Mello offered and turned in his seat to get a better look at Light.

The offer sounded incredible, sleep and no worries, just sleep.

But Light shook his head and kept his eyes closed as he dropped his hands into his lap,

"I have to go, I wasn't here yesterday. I'm gonna have to make up an excuse for being absent yesterday because I wasn't present in homeroom and then, I have soccer practice…shit…" Light rested his head back against the seat, "…I didn't bring my kit…I didn't bring any books. I don't have an excuse and my head is so damn sore!" he grit his teeth and pressed his palms into his eyes.

"And you have an enormous love bite under your jaw." Mello let him know.

Light jumped and pulled the car mirror open above him,

"What? Noooo." He whined as he examined the purple red clot very visible against his skin, he hadn't looked in a mirror that morning. He glanced at Mello,

"Who the hell?"

"You don't remember?"

Light groaned again and pushed the mirror closed, hitting the dashboard with his hands and hanging his head forward again,

"It was a blonde…tell me it was you?"

Mello snickered,

"Sorry Light…not me."

"Misa?" he asked in an annoyed whisper.

"Yup." Mello smirked and glanced at the large school building visible from the parking lot when he heard a bell in the distance.

"I hate your stupid sister."

"Hate away my friend." Mello patted Light's shoulder

"What am I going to do?"

There was some silence as Light remained hunched and Mello wondered if he'd fallen asleep and then another car drove into the parking and Mello glanced at Light,

"L's here."

Light raised his head and looked at L getting out of a sleek black Mercedes with a bag over his shoulder, his uniform looked better than Light's did right then. Which was just so wrong. The car left the parking and L, who had been walking toward the school, doubled back and jogged over to Mello's car. He opened the back passenger door and got in, laying on the back seat straight away,

"Mello…take me home." He grumbled.

"That's not fair!" Light turned to look at him, "How come you just get off so easily!"

L leaned up on his elbow,

"Hello to you too." He smiled, "…you look perfectly awful." L stated and Mello nodded.

"It's his stupid sister's fault! With the drug…" he mumbled the last part.

"Not really, you behaved very pleasantly after a while. You had a very interested conversation with Matt's dorm room lamp before you started feeling the walls and laughing about everything." He was snickering and Mello was laughing.

"Don't mock me…I didn't take that stuff willingly." He held his head as it throbbed and he turned away from L.

"Well it was fun…" he shrugged, "…Mello joined you in your lamp conversation and eventually wound up asleep on one of the sofas, Matt joined him after a while and myself and Beyond were left to cart all of you home." He sighed and laid back down.

"How did I get inside?" he wondered.

"I waited with you at the door and called your sister's cell phone."

Light narrowed his eyes and turned to look back at L,

"You called my sister? How did you get her number?"

"Don't sweat it Light, she got you inside and safe from your parents…"

"Screw you both…" he whined.

"The reason your head is sore…" L sat up fully and leaned forward between the seat backs, Light shifting back a bit as L grabbed his hand and raised it so Light could see his bruised knuckles, "...is because you got into a fight and someone punched you in the face."

"I know…" he pulled his hand back.

L sighed and brushed his hair back from his face, turning to Mello as he leaned forward, Mello smiled and leaned in to kiss L, making Light glance at them as they pecked each others lips,

"Take me home…" he repeated.

Mello nodded,

"No prob, love." He smiled at L.

"I have to go, I'm so screwed. I'm going to miss homeroom and have to skip soccer practice and worse, my sister saw me out of my mind last night!" he opened the car door to get out.

"I told Sayu you had a few drinks and got into a fight…she doesn't know about the acid." L blinked.

"Well thanks…I guess." He flexed his sore hands and got out.

"Light, call me later and I'll fetch you." Mello offered.

Light sighed and leaned down to look at Mello,

"Thanks but don't worry about it, I'll walk." He stood up and shut the car door.

Light glanced back when Mello hooted and the car was driving back down to the exit, he gave a short lazy wave and then picked up his pace.

He wisely chose to go straight to the headmaster's office and he told the secretary he needed to see him, she glanced at his awful appearance and nodded, telling him to wait.

Light sat down and took a quiet moment in the fresh smelling office to gather his thoughts. The night before he'd become extremely hyper and he remembered falling around, talking shit, laughing and joking. He'd felt elated and light headed and he had liked it, it was better than the strange way he felt with the cocaine, like his brain had been racing and his body was trying to keep up. The acid had made him feel like he was going crazy but good crazy, he closed his eyes and forced himself not to blush when he remembered that he'd even been dancing…with Misa.

Which was when he'd received the large hickey on his neck, he rubbed at it absently with his cool fingers and then looked at his hands again, they looked pretty bad. He frowned and half smiled when a plan formulated in his head, he hated excuses but in this situation he wasn't about to let his pride get the better of him.

He let the idea simmer for a while, ignoring the previous nights events a little easier as his headache subsided.

The door opened to the headmasters office and he stepped out, his expression when he saw Light was enough to make an impact and Light was hard pressed not to smile.

He got up when the man gestured for him to come inside, he made sure to look serious and somewhat upset as he closed the door behind himself and walked toward the desk. The older man settled in his seat and Light sat in one of the two across from him.

"I understand you have something to explain?" he looked over Light.

"Yes sir. I was present yesterday but I didn't attend homeroom. I was helping Kiyomi Takada, the new exchange student, to find her classes." He started evenly and watched the man's disinterest. "…it was after I got to my second period when the problem started…"

* * *

Light walked through the school halls smiling slightly, heading to a bathroom to 'clean himself up' as the headmaster had suggested. With no one involved in Light's day to day school life, his little story he'd spun had worked like a charm.

The sad self disappointed look, the bruised knuckles and split lip and the mark under his jaw which he'd managed to convince the old man was a product of him fighting with a bully the day before in the school between periods.

That coupled with his untidy appearance and sallow look of his skin, it fully supported the claim he made about not wanting his parents to know and not having gone home the night before until late and rushed out that morning so his parents wouldn't see his ill appearance.

_'They think I'm handling the move well, they think I'm doing okay. But I'm not, I just don't fit in…' _Light had laid it on thick, he hadn't liked it when his mother had done it, but he'd no choice if he wanted to get out of this mess with little to no problems.

Now all he had to do was sort his parents out, spin a pretty little story for them too and pray that Sayu backed it up. He hated that L was in contact with his sister, it felt horrible having her involved in his messes, mostly because his family wasn't supposed to know that he had any messes. Light was supposed to maintain his perfect image.

He pushed the school toilet room door open and approached the mirrors above the basins, he grimaced when he saw what he looked like. His hair was completely flat and looked a bit oily, his eyes were red and the skin around them was starting to look a little darker, he wasn't used to not sleeping, it was showing very clearly on his face, his lips looked dry and his skin was a bit gray.

He sighed and started straightening his uniform, tucking his under shirt in and buttoning his school shirt, tucking it in too. He neatened his pants a bit with his hands, he hadn't even put a belt on in his rush. He took his creased tie out of his pocket and lifted his collar before putting his tie on and putting his collar back down.

He ran his hands through his hair since there was nothing he could do about it right then and he washed his hands just for good measure.

Light turned from the mirror and thought about L from earlier, he'd been in full school uniform and looking as he usually did, but he'd shown up in a black expensive Mercedes and climbed out of the back seat when no one was in the front passenger seat. It was unusual and as far as he knew from what Mello told him, Beyond drove a Ducati motorcycle, so that had to have been someone else driving.

"Maybe one of his parents…" he mumbled and silently wished he'd taken note of the drive inside the car when L had arrived. He hated that L just skipped school so easily but it confused him even more that the headmaster just seemed to ignore it.

When he'd finished telling his bully story the old man had gone quiet for a moment and had surprised Light when he'd asked if the bully was L. Lawliet. Light had feigned ignorance to the name and then the man clarified as asking if it were the boy that hit Light last time and Light had very calmly shaken his head no and then said he wasn't going to reveal who the bully was…because there was no bully but the headmaster didn't know that. So he obviously would have to draw his own conclusions. Light didn't care if the guy thought it was the Tooth Fairy who beat him up, so long as he had a cover story.

He smiled a bit as he left the bathroom, thinking that a week earlier he would have gladly implicated L as his source of problems but now he didn't want to because even though his head hurt and he was exhausted, the night had been unpredictable and fun and he liked L, he liked all of them, except Misa. '_Goddamn her…'_ his smile disappeared as he made his way to his second period.

* * *

Light was listening with as much concentration as he could muster through every period since he had no writing material and mostly the wrong books in his locker but by the time last period rolled around he'd given up and was half asleep with his head on his arms right in the back of the class the minute he'd sat down, he never ever sat right in the back, but he knew now it was good for hiding.

The students were still talking and waiting for the teacher to instruct them to settle down when Light felt someone sit down next to him, very close to him. He raised his head a bit so only his eyes were visible and glanced beside him.

There L sat looking very pissed off with one leg up against his chest as he leaned back and his other leg stretched out, a pencil hanging from his mouth and cigarette behind his ear where his dark untidy hair was tucked back. Light blinked and raised his head a bit more to lean his chin on his arms as he remained laying down,

"What are you doing here?" he mumbled quietly, a few kids glanced at them and Light ignored them.

L raised his eyebrows,

"Headmaster was looking for me in my classes, he tried to call my house but I have the phone rerouted to my cell." L wasn't looking at him and Light thought that while it was very clever so you didn't get caught for skipping it was also something hard to achieve without getting caught out by parents.

"So I had to come back to school…lest he call the other cell number listed on my records." L rolled his eyes and chewed the pencil harder, moving it around with his fingers as he did so.

Light smirked,

"So you **do** have someone to answer to." He leaned up on his elbows on the desk.

L glanced at him,

"Does that fact make you feel better about your own strict household?" he smirked back.

"Was it your mom or dad who dropped you off this morning?"

"I have a chauffer…" he said sounding bored and Light looked a little surprised.

"Seriously?"

"Hm." L looked back to the front of the class.

"How will you get out of trouble?" Light wondered.

"I don't get into trouble…I just have a certain amount of dedication I have to put in at school to keep the vultures off my back. The head master is a vulture and he wants to see me killed so he may eat my decaying remains…" L trailed off and his eyes were wide as he daydreamed.

"You're crazy…" Light laughed quietly.

L glanced at him and smiled, his eyes returning to a normal size,

"We'll be at the skate park tomorrow…this afternoon we're going to be at Beyond's place. Joining us?" L asked.

"No thanks…no more for me. I have to get some sleep."

"Sleep is overrated…" L mumbled.

"Says he who looks like he lives beneath a mausoleum."

"Very original Vampire reference." L added.

"Just like your look." Light smiled.

They both smiled and then focused on the class when the teacher settled them down

* * *

Light felt less pressured when he spoke to L, it was as if he'd opened a new channel the previous night when he'd finally, as they'd wanted, let go. He walked out of the class just behind L and into the busy hall way.

Light fell into step beside him, L pushed people out of his way as he walked, using his shoulders to deliberately do so and Light noticed that most people avoided him when he walked by, hunched and apathetic whereas Light sifted through, weaving like everyone else did.

They were about to turn down the stairs when someone called L.

Light glanced at L and saw the dramatic roll of his eyes before he turned and Light saw the headmaster approaching them and he grimaced inwardly, this was not going to help his 'bullied' cause, seen socializing with the prime suspect. At that moment Light wondered if it was because of him that the headmaster was looking for L. He glanced at L who took the cigarette off his ear quickly and as he stood next to Light, he slipped it into his pocket, Light just blinked and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

'_Shit…_' he stood just behind L.

The man reached them and several students glanced and shook their heads like it wasn't uncommon,

"Lawliet…" the older man addressed L by what Light learned earlier to be his last name.

"Sir." L mumbled dryly.

"You've missed detention 6 times and skipped school more than 10. I'm keeping track."

"How generous of you." L dead-panned as he stared at the slightly taller man.

"Light-o?" they all turned to look at the pretty and neatly dressed young Japanese girl smiling at Light as she walked toward them standing near the stairs.

"Ki-Kiyomi…" Light managed as he felt L's eyes on him, he didn't know why he felt guilty but he did.

"You have…soccer, ne?" she spoke in her weak English and Light looked as if he'd just remembered.

He'd been ready to just leave with L. '_How does L do that to me?'_ he wondered as he nodded,

"Yeah…I do."

"I…want to…watch Light-o. Watashi ga kite mo iidesu ka?" (_Do you mind if I come?_) she switched when she felt awkward from all the stares.

He blinked and glanced at L who was staring at him with raised eyebrows but other than that no real expression.

"Do you need to go Light? Please go ahead, Lawliet won't waste any more of your time." The head master stated and Light felt his stomach sink when he glanced at L who had now turned to frown at the headmaster.

Light kept a straight face and nodded, needing to keep his story straight, he'd have to add L to list of people to deal with…well, more like apologize to in L's case. He didn't think he should but he felt really shit right then.

He approached Kiyomi and she smiled at him as they started walking away, Light glanced back to see L walking away with the headmaster. He'd wanted to hear what the old man had to say to L, maybe learn something new about the other teen but as woman usually do, Kiyomi had awful timing.

* * *

Light was grateful to Matsuda, the man had a sympathetic nature and when Light told him the same story the headmaster had bought that morning, he crumbled in Light's palm.

He'd managed to get out of training and would be there on Friday, with a triumphant smile he walked toward the side of the field away from all the other boys doing sprint laps to warm up and he smiled casually at Kiyomi.

"Not playing?" she asked with a curious look.

"No…I'm not up to it. Sorry to disappoint you."

"Ā, sore wa daijōbudesu." (_Ah, that's okay._) She waved it off.

_'Ofcourse it is…'_ he smiled slightly at her dismissal of it, she was bound to be easy going around him, even if he looked like shit.

"We walk…?" she gestured toward the stairs leading back up off the field to the school.

It was home time and Light was looking forward to it so he nodded and they started walking up.

"Thank you…" she said with a sweet smile as they reached the top of the stairs and Light, usually fit, felt like he wanted to fall over.

"For what?" he enquired and stuffed his hands into his pants.

"English, I under-stand okay but hard to speak. Watashi wa mada benkyō shite imasu." (_I'm still learning._)

"You'll get it…it's much easier than any other language." He said smiling in the Light Yagami way and she nodded politely

"Anata wa watashi ga manabu no o tasukerudeshou ka?" (_Will you help me learn?_) she asked looking very hopeful.

He slowed his walk as they went toward the school exit,

"…um…" _'…no no no…stupid girl. Why can't everyone just leave me the hell alone…?'_ "I'll have to see if I can fit it in. I have some school work to catch up with."

She took a moment and then nodded, obviously comprehending what he said, somewhat.

_'Good, if she doesn't understand she'll be easier to mislead…'_ he smiled nicely at her.

They walked in silence out of the school gates and down the street, nearing the skate park Light decided to ask,

"Where do you live…?"

When she said the name of the street he lived in he stabbed himself on the inside, life hated him!

"…ah...hahaha…me too." He laughed fake and lamely and when she said it was great, he stabbed himself again.

_'I just cant get a break…'_ he frowned just slightly and glanced at the hill hiding the skate park as they passed, he knew where he could get a break but it wasn't an option that day.

She asked him a few questions about his choice of subjects and he answered, then she talked about the people she was staying with while in the country and how nice they were…blah blah, making small talk as they approached the first of many suburban houses, passing quite a few and Light silently praying she didn't stay too close to him, they finally came to a house about a block from Light's.

He took a patient breath as she turned to face him,

"See you tomorrow, ne?"

He nodded and she smiled, it was a pretty smile, not annoying.

"Watashi-tachi wa issho ni chūshoku o taberu yo ne?" (_I guess we'll have lunch together?_) she nodded and Light changed his mind about her being annoying.

"Maybe…" he nodded back.

She nodded again and walked off the curb up the path to the house,

"Ja ne…" she waved.

Light watched her and was so far gone in wondering what he was going to say to his mother when he got home that he didn't notice anyone approaching him.

"Light!" Sayu poked him in his shoulder and giggled when he jumped.

"Sayu…where did you come from?" he asked even more annoyed as he glanced around.

"I was walking a little ways behind you. My friends mum took us for lunch and then came home." She pointed to a car in a driveway further down that hadn't been there when he'd passed.

"Ah…right. So…" the awkward feeling settled in when he remembered that his sister **knew**.

"Sooo light…who's the girl?" she gestured at the house they were still stood in front of, "What about Misa Misa?" she completely avoided it and Light was grateful.

"Misa is a twit and I won't be associated with her…so shut your mouth about it." he turned away from his sister and carried on walking, she caught up to walk beside him,  
"You're so mean to her, I know she seems crazy but she's really sweet…and very pretty."

"Kiyomi is prettier." He had no idea why he said that, maybe because he was thinking it but it was all Sayu needed to squeal and grab his arm,

"Light! Is she your girlfriend!?" she asked excitedly in her strange English pronunciation.

Light was trying to pull away from his clingy sister but had no luck so he sighed,

"No Sayu…she's just an exchange student I'm helping with her classes and English." He admitted, needing his sister to know he was still the model brother he'd always been, despite his drunken appearance the night before.

"Ā! Anata wa totemo kashikoinode, kanojo wa kōundesu!" (_Oh! Since you're so smart, she is lucky!_) she exclaimed.

Light instantly felt suspicious, why was Sayu being so nice to him when she had blackmail material? His little sister knew how to use leverage when she had even a little bit of it.

They reached the path up to the house and she finally detached from him, rushing up to the front door, Light tried to get his head around his situation as he entered the door after his sister.

He slipped his shoes off as quietly as possible seeing Sayu rush through the house to the kitchen, greeting their mother loudly, he hoped to have some time to get a story straight because he'd had to concentrate harder in school after his head ache had come back. Concentration was getting harder and harder to come by.

But his mother came around the lounge exit and she placed her hands on her hips when she saw Light sneaking in.

Caught out.

It wasn't as if he would really have been able to avoid it because he would have had to face her eventually but it turned into an all out argument, Light keeping his head cool as his mother yelled at him for disrespecting the rules of the house. Apparently his father was very disappointed and was worried because he was missing curfew and she had been worried sick when he hadn't returned home the night before. Light managed to get a few words in, about leaving school a little…just a little, early after being in a fight, he explained that he'd spent some time with friends and didn't want to come home and that he explained himself to the headmaster and everything was fine.

Another thing he loathed, playing the rebellious teen, he hated it but he had to use it.

He was just such a good actor though.

The argument started in the hall and ended in the lounge with his mother hugging him and telling him to talk to her about anything if he needed to and of course he nodded and said he knew that, like the good Light Yagami would…the fake Light.

Sayu had remained quiet and settled on the couch, not getting involved at all, very suspicious. Light was going to have to expect the worst when it finally came time for the blackmail.

His mother had finally commented on his ill appearance and mentioned having not found his uniform from the day before but some strange clothes lying on his floor.

He seethed inwardly, he hated people going into his room and he'd specifically left the clothes in his room so she wouldn't find them but he supposed it was unavoidable considering the circumstances of him leaving the house that morning.

"It belongs to the friend I was with yesterday, my uniform was dirty from fighting…" he sighed sadly for effect.

Sachiko nodded,

"Well I've cleaned it…so you can return it. But you must not go out for a while. Light you look so ill." She touched his face and he hated it but he just nodded and allowed it.

_'Just get this parent coddling over with…I need to shower and sleep dammit!'_

"I'm really tired, I was in pain last night so I didn't sleep too well, I just wanna get an early night." He turned from his mother after she nodded and waited until he'd walked out of her sight before he rushed up the stairs.

He closed his bedroom door and locked it with a heavy sigh, locking away his mother and Sayu and planning to be very asleep when Soichiro returned home later.

He glanced around his room and saw that it was still untouched, his mother had picked up the laundry and straightened the barely slept in bed but otherwise she didn't touch anything as he mostly knew she wouldn't have. He shrugged off the alien feeling and decided that once he'd slept his mother's unwelcome presence in his sanctuary would be gone.

Light unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it on the floor, another thing he wasn't ever accustomed to doing before and he left his pants on along with his grey shirt and crawled onto his bed.

The sun was running over part of his legs as he laid down on his stomach, face pressed comfortably into his pillow on the side his lip was not split and Light closed his tired eyes…

* * *

When Light woke up his room was in complete darkness, he was still on his stomach since he hadn't moved and his neck was stiff from the angle, to top it off there was some drool on his pillow. He groaned quietly, he'd never felt more human and more drained than he did right then.

He sat up on his bed in the dark and glanced at the bed side clock's glowing red digits, it was just after 6:30 pm. He'd missed dinner and he was so fucking hungry, he couldn't believe how his stomach hurt as it cramped.

He yawned as he got up and walked over to the light switch next to the door and flicked it on, his curtains had been opened by his mother so he walked over and closed them. He decided he'd get something to eat but he couldn't go downstairs looking like he did, he needed to let his mother see that he just needed sleep to look better.

So he changed into a fresh pair of slacks and a light blue T shirt with some fresh socks before leaving his room and stepping into the bright hall, he crossed it and went into the bathroom, tossing his clothes into the hamper and then freshening up.

When he finally finished in the bathroom he was satisfied with his appearance, his hair was still a bit off and his lip was sore as well as his hands but otherwise he looked ten times better. He took the stairs one by one, knowing his father was likely to be home and preparing to hear another parental speech from him.

What Light did not expect was to enter the lounge and find his mother and father sitting across from Sayu and L and having a discussion that was apparently entertaining because everyone was smiling.

L was sitting the way that suited him when he couldn't put his feet up on a sofa, one leg rested across his other, Sayu wasn't sitting too close to him, after all their parents were strict but something about the way Sayu was smiling just screamed 'parents meeting boyfriend' and worst of all, his parents…his father, seemed entertained by L.

Drug using, guy fucking, school skipping L Lawliet! Light was frozen to the spot in the doorway.

"Light, you're awake. Your mother told me you weren't well and went to lie down." His father stood up and Light snapped out of staring at L and Sayu, he nodded and looked between his mother and father, apparently Sachiko softened the blow.

"Yes…I'm sorry for my erratic behaviour dad." He smiled in his most sorry and polite way while itching to walk over to L and smack him the face.

"It's alright, let's just try to work things out as a family in future, Light." He nodded and when Light glanced at L he saw that raised eyebrow but no smile on that pale angular face.

L looked blank but Light imagined he was upset after this afternoon.

"Yes dad…" he said quietly. Quietly because he wanted to choke on those words.

"Light this L, he's a wonderful young man. He goes to your school." Sachiko spoke.

"Yes, I know him." Light didn't hesitate, "He's actually my friend." He glanced at Sayu pointedly.

"He's my friend too." she said just as quickly.

"You only know him because you met him when he was with me." Light pointed out.

Sayu stood up,

"He's still my friend too…Light." Her voice was far too non Sayu right then.

_'There it is…blackmail…ugh…'_ he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Well no matter, L are you hungry?" Sachiko asked kindly as she stood and L shook his head and stood up as well,

"…no thank you Mrs. Yagami, I've eaten." He said very politely with a calm smile.

_'So many faces…L.'_ Light thought as he watched L charm his mother.

She turned to look at Light,

"And you Light?"

He was so fucking hungry,

"No thank you Mother." He smiled as well.

His mother left the lounge and Soichiro sat back down, making L and Sayu sit too and Light crossed his arms over his chest in frustration, this was ridiculous.

"So L, what are your plans after school?"

"Law, Mr Yagami. It's a family trait."

Light noticed how Sayu had sat just a bit closer and on top of that, his father was asking 'boyfriend' related questions.

"I see, I am hoping Light will follow the same path as I have, do you want to be on the prosecuting side or with the police force?"

Light hated how interested his father sounded and he figured L was just talking shit anyway, the boy hardly went to school, he had 'fail' written all over his face as far as Light knew.

"I will be a detective, preferably independent however I will work co-operatively with police." L said with his ever mature tone that had Sayu beaming and his father nodding approvingly.

"Very good, you'll be very successful with that attitude. Just like I'm sure Light will be." He nodded and glanced at Light who managed to stop scowling before his father looked at him.

"Yes, perhaps we shall even work together, yes Light?" L turned those grey eyes on him and his lips twitched into a small smile.

"Of course, L." he smiled back just as slightly.

There was a sound of a ringing cell phone and Sayu jumped up,

"That's mine, sumimasen…" she excused herself and ran from the room toward the stairs.

"Sayu tells me you're fluent in Japanese as well?" Soichiro asked L and Light rolled his eyes subtly.

"Yes I am, I traveled a lot as a child and I'm a lover of different languages." L leaned forward and sipped the tea that was on the coffee table in front of him.

Tea? Light wanted to scoff.

"L, what are you doing here?" Light managed to say it without sounding as annoyed as he was, mostly just because L was here being questioned as a potential partner for his sister when he was interested in…him. Light wanted to shoot himself in the head for thinking that, but when he thought about it again, it was worse because he just came up seeming jealous to himself.

Knowing L didn't mind girls and boys…and that meant Light was competing with his baby sister?

Thinking that ultimately drew the conclusion that Light was interested in being L's…what? Favorite? He didn't even know anymore!

"Sayu texted to ask how I was. I told her I was bored so she asked if I wanted to hang out…you're parents didn't mind. So I came over."

"How did you get her number?" Light asked quickly.

"She swapped it with me when we all had lunch together the other day." L said evenly, calm as ever.

"How did you get here?"

"My father…" L's lip twitched wanting to smirk and Light just knew he was lying again.

"You all had lunch together?" Light's father enquired.

Light cleared his throat,

"Yes, after school on Monday. You remember Misa from the boutique…?" he knew he had to explain and when his father nodded he went on, "…her brother is my…our friend." He gestured to L who smiled as confirmation, "…and Misa is his sister, it was her birthday and she invited Sayu so…we fetched her." He lied and saw how L smiled a bit more.

"Ah, well, it was nice to meet you L. I'm afraid Sayu cannot have a visitor who is a boy so late though."

"I understand." He stood up and Light piped up,

"L is my friend dad…can he stay a bit longer…?"

Soichiro couldn't say no to that, Light was allowed male friends but of course no girls after a certain time as well.

"Oh, yes of course he can."

L glanced at Light who gave him the same expressionless look back and then he smiled,

"Thanks dad, come on L, we'll hang out in my room." He made himself sound as innocent and adolescent as possible and as they left the lounge he heard L snicker.

Sayu came running toward the stairs as they reached the last step,

"L, where are you going?"

"Dad said you can't have a guy over this late, Sayu…" Light smirked but it fell when L stepped up to her on the top level of the stairs and smiled at her,

"I'll call you sometime and we'll hang out after school…" he very easily invited her to hug him and she did, Light saw her enjoy the smell of his skin as she was so close to his neck.

L's eyes were on Light though, cool and collected. His arms around her thin waist as she stood on her toes a bit to hug him around his neck.

Light remained calm and when they pulled apart he nearly choked when L kissed her cheek and she turned several shades of red,

"Okay…then. Talk to you soon." She mumbled shyly and then went a bit stupidly rushing down the stairs to squeal about this to Sachiko because their father would just get mad.

Light and L stared at each other for a moment and L leaned back against the wall and looked expectant before Light walked by him and down the hall to his room.

L followed and stepped in after Light, closing the door quietly and glancing around at the simple room,

"You're very neat, obsessive compulsive?"

"Not a slob." Light shrugged, acting calm as he sat down in his computer chair, "I'm sorry about today L." he wasn't going to let what happened with Sayu get to him.

"Oh…really? Did you do something?" L blinked and dropped onto Light's bed, laying back and bringing his socked feet up so his knees were bent up as he lay back.

"Yeah, I told the headmaster a bullshit story about why I was absent and he assumed you were the reason." Light swung from side to side very slightly.

"He accused me of beating you up." L turned his head and leaned up on his elbows to look at Light, "…playing the tormented newbie then?"

"I had only so many options considering everything…" Light said as he leaned back in his chair.

"Hm…I didn't really care what he wanted, it was just a simple formality where he lectures me about all of my wrong doings and I ignore him." he looked up at the ceiling , expression bored.

They were silent for a while and then Light looked back at him from his thoughtful gaze at the wall,

"What's your story L?" he asked quietly.

"What makes you think I have a story, Light?"

"Just give it up already…quit being all mysterious…it's not as sexy as you think." He teased.

"Sayu thinks its very sexy." L said pointedly as he stared at Light again.

Light's smile faded,

"You're gonna try and screw my sister?" he said flatly and quietly.

"Light…I could have done your sister already if I'd wanted to." He remained still and calm as he lay staring at Light.

Light felt something very close to jealousy and anger bubble up in his chest,

"…what's stopping you then?" he sounded very calm.

"I'm holding out. I'm going to get one of the two Yagami siblings…it just depends on when I get bored of messing around." L was being purposely provoking.

"You think that's funny?" Light narrowed his hazel eyes.

"No Light…I don't. But I'm not going to lie to you about one thing…" he rolled over and sat up so he was facing Light.

"What's that?" he sounded annoyed now.

"I'm more interested in screwing you." L said very simply with a smirk.

Light swallowed and he blushed, he couldn't help it, acting like his sister.

L went on undeterred,

"I could have picked Sayu up after school and taken her to my house, my bed is very comfortable, my house is very empty and judging by how her face heats up when I'm near her, I'll bet that if I kissed her..."

"Shut the hell up…" Light said quietly and stood up, breathing a little heavier and wanting to get L to realize that enough was enough, Sayu didn't need to be dragged into this.

L stood up and stepped up to Light,

"I think you know I could lay your sister…but you also know I'd just be doing it to piss you off." He stepped closer and went straight to sucking on Light's jaw line, making Light's spine tingle.

"Because you're an asshole…"

L pulled back and pushed Light so that he pressed up against the desk,

"Indeed I am, but I'm also petty and I like to win. I haven't topped in a while…" he grinned and his hands went for the hem of Light's slacks to undo the draw string.

Images of Beyond and L through the keyhole went through his mind, L certainly hadn't been topping.

"Don't make me fuck your sister…" L teased.

"Stop it." Light shoved him back and his draw string, now untied fell loose, he felt the elastic loosen around his waist but his pants stayed up, L hadn't been moving too fast.

L started laughing and he shook his head,

"Why cant you relax Light, I'm fucking with you!" he tilted his head.

Light didn't know if it was safe to believe him but that half naughty half nice smile was on his face and L stepped forward again and Light sighed,

"You're a liar…"

"From everything you've seen, do you honestly think I'm interested in your sister?"

_'Liar!'_ Light thought but he forced past it.

"It'll be gross…"

"What will be gross…?" L was pushing up his shirt.

"If you fuck my sister…" Light said in a mumble.

"Stop talking about it then…"

* * *

_**(This smex scene and all of its -plot- dialogue content has been removed because this website has issues. To read the full version, visit my AO3 page, link is available on my profile.)**_

* * *

L knew he was self conscious now, he smirked as hazel eyes focused on him in the brightly lit room,

"I have to go Light…I'm staying over at Beyond's." L said like Light hadn't just jizzed all over himself.

Jealousy was the only emotion Light felt at those words and he looked away from L at the mess on his shirt and…well, wherever it landed.

He glanced up at L who checked his own clothes,

"Looks like I'm good, you can't tell I have a hard on right?" he asked Light and the brunette said nothing, he just shook his head slightly after glancing at L's crotch.

L nodded, "…great. Beyond will have to work my sexual frustration out." he stepped forward and kissed Light's mouth shortly before turning and walking to the door,

"I'll see you tomorrow…"

_'Asshole…'_ Light thought bitterly as L opened the door to peek out before he left and the door closed quietly.

Light crouched down to pull his pants and boxers up -delayed much- he covered himself and his mess up for the moment. He pulled off his shirt and turned away from the door. Without another word, L had walked away, all that time the door had been unlocked door…

Now Light was left with what had just happened to haunt him all night and probably for days.

He hadn't gone 'all the way' but it was big deal, it was far.

He heard L say goodbye to his family downstairs and then he sighed and looked at his messed shirt in his hand before using it to clean up any stray mess, feeling only slight discomfort in his ass.

After wiping it all up off the floor he straightened up and walked over to his bedside, where he'd forgotten his cell phone that morning. He checked his phone and found he had one message from Mello that had been sent in the afternoon.

**-Hey Light, if you wanna skip school tomorrow let me know, I'll pick you up on the intersection corner at 8:30. We'll hang out.**

With an uncomfortable feeling in his whole body, Light closed his phone and walked toward his drawers to grab a towel and have a shower…maybe then he'd think clearer.


	12. Put Your Chocolate In My Peanut Butter

**Chapter 12**

* * *

Kiyomi Takada was a fine example of a girl you take home to your parents, she fit so perfectly with her manners and polite disposition that Light was confused that he couldn't sense anything off about her, there was always something wrong with some one who seemed too good to be true. No, he was not making reference to him self, he soooo didn't fit into that evaluation.

She was mature, easy on the eyes and smart as well, smart meaning…well, smarter than Misa and Sayu, if you get the idea, not smart like him…of course not.  
She was convenient too and with her as a slight distraction the three final days of the week had gone by in a breeze, she ate lunch with him each day and walked home with him after school, she never yelled or squealed or drew attention to herself.

Peace, she was an 'Approved' human being by Light's standards, the fake Light…not the other Light, although he'd approve of her too.  
He was standing on the green soccer field and waiting for the ball to come back to the side of the field where he stood as he thought about this, she was sitting in the bleachers, watching him between quietly reading a book, like she'd walked right out of his definition of 'ideal girlfriend'.  
But Light Yagami, perfect Light Yagami who had caught up on sleep and had styled his hair properly for school over the last 3 days, was not thinking about the pretty little lady waiting for him with her 'ideal girl' façade –yes, he believed she was pretending - stamped across her forehead for everyone to see.

No…perfect Light Yagami was playing soccer and being happy on the outside, keeping up his own facade, when the real Light was feeling severely pissed off and distracted on the inside. Regardless of how settled and easily he'd fallen back into his perfect smiling, happy family world, he could not feel better.  
That Tuesday evening had plagued Light and left him without sleep, he'd gone through various thoughts and emotions as he debated his sexuality and mental stability.  
And after all that, hours of confusion and indecisiveness, he'd drawn the conclusion that L was right…why give himself a label?

He had resolved that he would talk to L about this when he saw him in school Wednesday morning…alas, that never happened.

It still hadn't and it was Friday afternoon and 10 minutes from the end of soccer practice.  
L hadn't been around, he hadn't seen L even one day, not even in the single class they had together. He had Mello's number but Mello also had his, so why not contact him? Was he expected to contact them? It sounded childish but he had put his foot down, he decided that having time to clear his head was a good thing and that he was not going to call and ask why they'd completely forgotten about him.

But at the same time he knew his mind was cleared already and there was still no sight or sound of any of them, which was making him frustrated. No…he didn't feel like a used tramp, but he was teetering dangerously on the verge of feeling so.

Coming back to reality he saw his opportunity to get the ball and moved quickly into a run across the field to successfully take the ball and pass it along, managing to clear his head long enough to try and pay attention to the sport he was 'so excited' about.

It went on for about 5 minutes before the whistle went and Coach Matsuda started saying encouraging things to the boys as they cleared off the field…and of course as Light passed he received a pat on the shoulder and a compliment. He smiled and then grabbed his kit bag that was on a bench near the field, staying in his training clothes and deciding he'd go home and shower when he got there.  
"Light!" Matsuda called out and he turned back as he had been heading toward Takada,  
"Yes, coach?" he asked in his slightly higher pitch, schoolboy, tone.  
"Great to see you made it and your looking much better…had a bad start to the week huh?" he smiled.  
Light smiled back,  
"Yeah…yeah I did." He was strangely losing patience so much faster than he used to and so he didn't sugar coat his words.  
"Well, I wanted to wish you good luck!"  
"Hm?" he frowned in genuine confusion.  
"You don't know! I shouldn't have told you, I ruined it…" Touta went on to react loudly.

Light could have pointed out that he had in fact not said what 'it' was, but he wanted to know so he smiled,  
"That's okay…I don't mind."  
Matsuda took a moment to compose himself, as if something really heavy was on his shoulders and then he patted Light's shoulder again,  
'That's really gonna start to piss me off.' He thought but smiled at the happy man.  
"You've been entered into a national test exam, if you do really well you get short listed post graduation for the top 3 universities in LA!" he was beaming.

Light smiled genuinely at that,  
"That's great."  
"Hai…it is…" Kiyomi had popped up beside him.  
"It really is and I'm confident you'll land a spot at UCLA or something…or maybe you don't even want to go to university here…hahahha!" he went off into his nervous stupidity which Light just smiled at.  
"Thank you for the information coach…bye." He lost his need for being polite and started walking away after a smile and wave to the older man, Kiyomi falling in with his quick steps.

For Light the word association had gone from UCLA to Matt to L…to irritation. Not that he wasn't excited about the exam, he loved an opportunity to show someone up, it always made him feel better.  
"Light-o, are you alright?" Kiyomi asked him quietly, she was speaking English better since during his lunches with her he'd been tutoring her and was pleased that she caught on quickly, learning fast.  
"I'm fine Kiyomi…" he said in English, he hadn't bothered with honorifics since he was speaking English more often.  
"Ok..ay…" she sounded disbelieving but wisely, and much to Light's happiness, she dropped it.

The walk home from there on was quiet.

Light had been a little off still that previousWednesday morning, he'd had a pain in his ass, literally and his lip still hurt along with his knuckles. He still hadn't been fully rested but when he'd arrived at school expecting L to come and find him, he'd almost looked forward to it, but wasn't too upset when he didn't see the other, after all, he still wasn't at his best.  
But the following day and the present day Light was fully prepared to…talk about it? He didn't know if he was meant to actually mention it or of it even mattered although he assumed he was meant to play it cool, like all of them, they never talked about it.

He wondered if after that little…experience, L was put off or simply lost interest and since L called the shots naturally they all just had removed themselves from his life.  
'I hate this…why am I disappointed. They were no good anyway…' he sighed inaudibly, never once looking to his side where Kiyomi walked. Once they neared her house she slowed down and placed a light hand on his upper arm so his attention was got, he turned to her,  
"What is it?" he sounded a bit irritable, he didn't know when he'd forgotten he had a reputation to uphold but he was barely interested.  
She seemed to notice his mood but smiled anyway,  
"I was wondering if you wanted to come to dinner tonight. The family have been asking to meet my English helper since I first mentioned you, before you'd even started helping me." She gazed at him evenly, not being whorish or over insistent, just asking.

Light nearly blurted out no but on a second thought he wanted the distraction,  
"Yes, that sounds great. What time?"  
She smiled a bit more now and brushed some of her hair back,  
"It's at 7.00…" she watched him with her clear blue contacts.  
Light checked his cell phone,  
"That's only just a half hour from now…" the practice had finished at 6, "I'll just go home and shower and be back over, is that alright?" he smiled, managing it easily enough.  
"Yes, its fine. See you just now." She waved her hand for him to hurry.

He would have punched someone in the face for that but it was her well controlled girly happiness that had caused her to do that and not shove him off to hurry, so Light commended her for not making a loud noise at her happiness, like Misa might, she was loud for everything.  
He waved at her and walked off quickly, distractedly thinking of the fact that while he spoke so openly about all of them, he still really didn't know them all that well, least of all Misa.  
'Crazy bitch…' he thought mechanically.  
He shivered at the thought of her, it really gave him the creeps, she was like the bride of chucky on speed. He smiled at that thought though, especially since she very likely was on speed some of the time.

He did surprise himself with his ease of making fun of her, he'd never been one to tease, he usually just insulted but he'd been somewhat exasperated around her that day in the café and had said things without any real insulting conviction in his tone, just some annoyance. He made a small sound of personal acknowledgement to this noted change in his ways as he opened the front door to his house and closed it behind him, stepping out of his shoes.  
"Mother, I'm home." He said a bit loudly and heard her shout a greeting from the kitchen and ask how training was,  
"It was fine. I have to shower…I'll be down soon." He dismissed anymore conversation and leaving his school bag and kit bag in the entrance hall, he went upstairs to shower and change.

* * *

After informing his mother that he had dinner with a girl's family, slight on the details, he left the house freshly showered and groomed to the perfection that his standards required. It was slightly dark and the cool sun set air was blowing his hair around softly, it was calming. The road was empty and the air smelled of fresh gardens as he walked by them, he felt at peace.  
He reached the house down the street from his own, walking up the stone path to the front door Light pressed the door bell and heard it chime loudly and -he absently checked his watch to see that he was fashionably late, 5 minutes after 7. That two minute walk would be the highlight of his evening anyway so he wasn't bothered by his barely there tardiness.

He prepared a pleasant smile when he heard someone opening the door and it promptly fell, almost as if someone had thrown a stone at his face for how quickly it twitched to mild shock and annoyance.  
Before him stood Teru Mikami, glasses pushed high onto his nose, black hair framing his face neatly and he was wearing a smile that would put a crazy mass murderer to shame as he gazed upon a helpless Light.  
'He looks like a psycho…' Light thought vaguely, remembering what Mello had said about this boy.  
"Yagami-san…" he said with a breath and Light's eyebrow twitched up,  
"Do I have the wrong house?" he asked aloud and stepped back a bit, fully prepared to run.  
"No no!" Mikami exclaimed and looked as if he might reach out to grab Light, he braced himself until he saw polite and neatly dressed, Kiyomi pop up beside Mikami,  
"Light, thank you for coming." She held out a hand and gestured for him to come inside and Mikami gestured as well – with more animated movements- eyes trained on Light like if he blinked the brunette would disappear.

Sounded like a plan to Light.

"Kiyomi, you didn't say your friend was Light Yagami!" he closed the door and much to Light's discomfort let a hand fall on Light's upper back while he held Light's forearm that Kiyomi was not on the side of.  
Personal space invaded and extremely uncomfortable with them on either side of him, Light was speechless and he subtly wriggled to get Mikami off him as he was lead further into the warm cozy home.  
"Oh, do you know him?" she seemed to notice that Mikami was walking closer than she was and touching Light.  
"Yes yes, we're good friends, Yagami-san and I are going to take on very large academic projects together."  
"Wha?" Light almost managed when they entered a large dining area with two adults smiling and waiting.  
Kiyomi had been staring, with what Light assumed was confusion when she diverted her focus to the adults,  
"Light, this is Mr and Mrs Mikami, Teru's parents." She made a point of speaking in English and they smiled at her and then at him,

"Hello Light." The women greeted and the father nodded.  
"Hello…thank you for having me over." He said in his brilliant and charming way with a smile that would please his fan girls back in Japan, Mikami nearly fell over, apparently just short of swooning himself.

Mikami was obviously Japanese originally but was likely raised in America by his unaccented English.  
"Come…lets eat and get to know Light." The women ushered everyone around the table and Light was grateful when Mikami let go of him and moved to the seat next to the one Light pulled out.  
It was amusing - and creepy- that Mikami had wanted to sit beside him but he saw Kiyomi's somewhat more aggressive side when she told Teru to sit somewhere else, shortly.  
Ah, so there was more to that pretty face after all.

* * *

He put on one of his best acts, answering questions and impressing the pants off Kiyomi's temporary guardians all through the meal, they were like putty in his hands, as was Teru, which was freaking creepy. He'd agreed so readily with everything Light said it seemed even his parents had some concerns. Light hadn't missed the look they'd shared at some point, apparently they were aware that their son was a freak.

'Freak…' Light thought as he sat at the table still, dinner plates cleared and waiting for Mrs Mikami to serve dessert, he was thinking of the freaks who he recently discovered where far more entertaining than anything come to pass in his short life so far. Of course, as far as they were concerned, he was the freak…or he had been.

The dessert came and Light admitted to himself and the chef, that it was very delicious once he tasted it, the right balance of sugar in the warm chocolate pudding that had a nice slice of sponge cake underneath it.  
He discovered through this experience that Kiyomi held decent conversation, switching between Japanese and English every so often, since the family understood it, she made a few jokes, smiled and was over all a good date.  
Light was glad she wasn't an embarrassment.

Teru on the other hand, hated it. For this purpose, Light made a point during dessert to let his hand briefly cover Kiyomi's on the table between them for everyone to see, a subtle gesture of feigned intimacy while he thanked her again for inviting him. At that point she did blush but nothing scary and while his parents smiled, Teru practically choked on his pudding.

This partially affirmed a suspicion that he had come up with during all of Mikami's gushing through dinner.  
How L knew Mikami. Was he a previous project like the position Light was in? Was he a fuck that L regretted? He obviously showed no hesitance in his praise of another male, no shyness there, even if he wasn't gay, he wasn't shy to get touchy and red faced. Light didn't wanna use labels but it worked for his theory.

Mikami was probably gay all the way.

* * *

When it was finally over and all dishes had been cleared Light said his goodbyes to the parents and to Teru, who stood beside his parents without a semblance of a smile as Light was walked to the door by Kiyomi who joined him outside for a moment.  
"Thank you for coming, you're very good company."  
"That goes for you too. I had a very good time." He exaggerated and she smiled as expected.  
"I apologise for Teru, I didn't know he was like that or that he knew you…" she flattened the material of her mid thigh skirt and then straightened her blouse, not making excuses for him…being 'like that'. Light sensed nastiness.  
"Don't worry about him…" Light dismissed it, intending to handle him an entirely different way.

They were standing outside of the front door, the light of the porch awning above them shining yellow onto them. It was dark and the street lights made bright to fading circles at intervals along the road, crickets sounded and the wind was blowing lightly, it was peaceful like it had been earlier.  
He glanced at Kiyomi as she stared out at the road like he had been doing, he knew what this was, the defining moment between them of friend or more than a friend.

Light didn't feel like he needed to be more than friends with her because honestly, she was just going to be an unwelcome inconvenience where L and his new friends were concerned.  
He sighed and was about to say goodnight and leave when he caught movement of the curtain in the window behind them.

'Mikami is watching…?' he thought, slightly amused and disturbed.  
Something abut pissing that stalker weirdo off made Light want to start grinning so he decided to go ahead and piss him off, if Mikami was going to be forward then he wasn't going to disappoint.  
"Kiyomi…thank you for dinner." He turned to her and she turned to him.  
"Your welcome, maybe we'll have dinner again." She smiled, her clear lip gloss shining.  
'Ah, fuck the wooing…' Light wasn't in the mood to charm her into a kiss so instead he just kissed her, leaning forward and pressing their lips together, she took a small breath through her nose and closed her eyes.

He didn't care about her reaction, he paid attention to the loud bang that sounded coming from inside the house near the window.

The sound made her pull back, blushing and seemingly concerned about being caught kissing a boy on the porch, Light smiled,  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"  
"No, don't apologize please. I just wouldn't want to be disrespectful to the Mikami's."  
"No problem. I have to go now. Have a good night Kiyomi." He flashed a sweeter smile and started walking along the path without a second thought.

He was grinning to himself at his achievement in making Teru mad, he and L seemed to have that in common. He slipped his cell phone out of his pocket and saw that he had a missed call and text message, his phone had been on silent during dinner. He saw the missed call was from his father but before he could assume something was wrong he checked the text.

-Tried to call. Taking your mother to dinner. Sayu is at home. See you later. - Dad

He sighed, it was a relief of sorts because he wouldn't get 20 questions about his dinner when he got home, probably tomorrow but the peace would remain for the night. He took the walk home even slower and when he stepped inside the door the house was quiet and partially in darkness.  
He could hear the TV on and he wondered if Sayu had gone off to a friend in his parent's absence because she never watched TV so loud,

'Even better…' he smiled and slipped his shoes off, choosing to stay in his socks without slippers.  
He sighed again but this time in relief and walked into the lounge, glancing at the TV as the voices from the movie blared loudly. Light walked over to the remote on the couch and switched it off, noticing Sayu's indoor slippers at the side of the couch. It would have confirmed his idea that his sister was gone except as he was going toward the kitchen to get something to drink he heard a voice upstairs and paused, blinking a few times and then frowning.

Deciding maybe she was still here Light back stepped and turned around, walking back through the lounge toward the stairs and he walked quietly in his usual graceful way, his socks making no sound on the stairs as he reached the top. He saw that Sayu's bedroom light was on through the small opening in her doorway since it wasn't closed fully.  
He sighed, assuming she had to be there and deciding to let her know he was home, he walked up to the door and pushed it open,  
"What the FUCKING HELL!" he had never heard himself shout so loudly before, let alone cuss.

L and Sayu had been kissing and Light had noticed a hand under his sister's skirt right before she leapt up at his less than graceful entry to the room, red in the face and thoroughly ashamed she pressed her hands to cover her face.  
"Light! I'm sorry!" she yelled, probably more upset that her brother had caught her than the fact of what she'd been doing.  
"Sayu, get out!" he yelled and pointed his finger behind him like he were speaking to a child.  
"Light…this is her bedroom, that hardly makes any sense." L piped up as he remained sitting on the bed where she'd been sitting beside him, one leg across the other and leaning back on his hands  
He turned furious eyes on L and fought to keep himself from blushing, images of himself and L kissing fresh in his mind,  
"Then you…get out." He said lowly this time, not shouting.

L almost smirked, Light saw it, but he instead just got up and walked passed Light out of the door.  
Light didn't spare his sister another look, slamming her door shut with her inside and marching after L, grabbing him by the back of his hoodie and yanking him backwards before he reached the stairs. L was unceremoniously dragged and shoved into Light's room almost falling several times in the process.

Light hated his agility, falling on his ass would have served Light's intentions well.

Light let his hood go and slammed his own door shut, switching on the light before he turned to find L straightening his jacket and looking at Light with raised eyebrows, none too miffed about the handling.  
"What…were you doing?" Light asked quietly, eyes narrowed in anger, not jealously. 'Arg…I'm not jealous…' he looked away from L for a moment, glancing back when he spoke.  
"Do you really need an answer?"  
"Why! L, you said…" he raised and lowered his voice but didn't finish, he turned and went to sit on his bed with a huff, "…gross…gross….she's my sister…" he was mumbling as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Light, I didn't come here to make out with your sister. But when you weren't here and she invited me to…make out, I was not going to say no, as if I had a better way to pass the time." He slipped his hands into his black hoodie jacket pockets as he stood in the middle of the room looking at Light who was now glaring at him.  
"You expect me to believe my sister propositioned you?"  
"Yes, I do." He seemed bored and Light knew that he could believe it, Sayu was no angel. She was a teenage girl and L was a very cute teenage boy…

"Agh…" he laid back on the bed and rubbed his face with his hands, "…what the fuck are you doing here anyway?" he asked exhaling tiredly.  
He was about to speak again at the silence when he felt weight on the bed and moved his hands from his eyes to find L had crawled onto the bed, hovering over him almost completely,  
"I came to see you…I realized you probably thought I'd forgotten all about you."  
'Asshole…' Light thought angrily since it was true.  
"Don't flatter yourself…" he lied and put on a disinterested look, "…I was enjoying the lack of molestation."

"Hm…" L hummed and smirked, his hands either side of Light's head, "…you know. Before you came in…" he was about to touch Light's hair with his right hand and Light smacked it away,  
"Don't touch me with that hand, I fucking saw where it was." He looked thoroughly pissed off and a little unsettled.  
L blinked and then shrugged pressing the hand back into the bed,  
"I was negotiating a blow job from your sister before you arrived…care to make good on that?"

Light punched him in his ribs as best he could with L on all fours above him, wounded, Light then used his legs and shoved L off the bed, he landed on the floor with a loud thump and an 'oof'.

Light got up and was about to yell all sorts of obscenities when he saw L holding his side and laughing as he lay on his back on the floor.  
"What the fuck is so goddamned funny?" he asked quietly, fists tensed tightly as he stared down at L.  
"You…" he evened out his laughs and sat up, "…Light, I was kidding with you. I was only kissing your sister for about 10 minutes and as for my hands, they never made it further than her thighs."  
"Shut up…" Light groaned when the mental image found its way into his head, "…I don't care, I just want you to leave her alone…"

He didn't notice L get up but he sat back down on his bed and felt L sit next to him a moment later,  
"I like to take the piss out of you…you look very cute when your angry." his smooth voice came out quiet.  
"Quit it L…" Light mumbled and pushed L's hand away from his own thigh when it attempted to settle.  
"Hm, you're upset now. So none for me then…"  
"There's always Beyond…" he shouldn't have said that because he knew he sounded stupid.  
"Yes there is…although I was in the mood for you." L said all too openly.  
Light raised his head from its tired hanging and flipped L the bird with a smile and then he grabbed it back hen L tried to bite his poor harmless finger with sharp white teeth.

They both looked over at the door when they heard a knock and Light huffed when he got up and walked to the door. Pulling it open he stared down at his sister's still bright red face,  
"Light I'm so sorry…" she saw L coming toward the door, "…L, you're still here?" attention be damned.  
"Yip…Light's coming out with me. I told you earlier I was here to see him." He threw an arm around Light's shoulders as they stood in the doorway and used the hand there to pinch Light's cheek.

Light needed a drink.

"Tell mom and dad I went over to L's place." He wasn't gonna say he was going drinking with L, he certainly hoped he'd be drinking. He belatedly batted the hand away when Sayu stifled a giggle at L's actions.  
L was totally ruining his big brotherness!

She seemed a bit worried after a moment,  
"Are you going to tell them?" she mumbled and folded her arms across her chest, L smiled all too naughtily and glanced at Light who didn't look over at him since he was too close to his face and his sister was right there.  
Not that it would be her first assumption but if Light broke out in a blush, she'd get suspicious.  
"No Sayu…I'm disappointed in you though…" his big brother voice.  
She pouted and looked sad,  
"I'm sorry…" she unfolded her arms and shifted nervously.  
"I'm sorry too Light…" L said very insincerely and Light went ahead and elbowed him in his gut, making L let go of his shoulders with a slightly pained laugh.  
Light was happy he didn't feel bad about hitting L, it was a relaxing experience.  
"Just forget it, Sayu…" Light waved her off and stepped back, half way closing his door as she walked away to her room.

At least they were even with the blackmail material.

He leaned against the wall next to the door and looked at L as he busied himself looking at Light's bookshelf, injured rib forgotten for Light's comic books,  
"Where are we going?" he mumbled and stepped away from the wall, going to his closet and opening the doors.  
He was going through some shirts when he felt L standing behind him, arms slipping round his torso and thin fingers pinching his nipples,  
"Fuck...stop it!" Light hissed softly and turned to push L away, glancing at the unclosed door to make his point.  
L rolled his eyes and then stepped up beside Light and started going through his clothes,  
"This T shirt is nice…" L took it off the hanger and walked away.

Light barely glanced at him as he found a red T shirt with white and black patterns on the front.  
"I asked where we're going…" he turned around holding his chosen shirt and he raised his eyebrows at L, half naked, his jacket and shirt tossed on Light's bed as he pulled Light's black and white T shirt over his head.  
Light was momentarily distracted by L's upper body, deceptively well built but then he frowned,  
"What was wrong with your shirt…?" he asked half heartedly and walked nearer, tossing the red shirt on to the bed and unbuttoning the white shirt he wore with a dark blue denim jeans.  
L glanced at Light and then back at the shirt he now wore,  
"I like this…I'm going to have it."

Light pulled the shirt off and tossed it on the bed, picking up the red one,  
"Excuse me? High jacking my clothes?" he did think it looked better on L, the cut fit his build better, just a tad tighter. It suited his low waist straight leg faded black jeans and L's belt was visible just beneath it, a red color to break the black with a large silver buckle.  
"You can have my shirt…" he gave Light a lopsided smile as the brunette pulled his red shirt on, L leaned over and picked up his discarded shirt, holding it up for Light to see.

It said in red font over the white material 'I like lollipops'.  
Light frowned,  
"That's disgusting."  
"What's disgusting about it?" L was trying not to laugh.  
"The innuendo, jerk off." He said very casually as he turned away to gather the clothes on his bed.  
Light always thought about saying nasty words when he spoke to people, but he never usually said them, it was liberating and it didn't faze L,  
"I really do like lollipops…see."

Light was afraid to look but he did turn to see and gave L a 'you're an idiot' look when he saw the other teen popping a red lollipop into his mouth, it had obviously come from his pocket.

L flicked the wrapper at Light and the brunette grabbed the white T shirt from him after the wrapper hit him on the forehead,  
"Well I like lollipops now…" he smiled at L and walked away with the shirt.  
"Do you really?" L's eyes widened as he grinned around the plastic stick protruding from his mouth.  
"Yup…" Light winked at him.  
Light tended to look exceptionally hot when he winked and he knew it.

He didn't know why but it felt pretty good to be the one leading the flirting and naughty comments instead of being caught in its crossfire. He dropped the clothes into the clothes hamper behind his door and turned to L who was still grinning,  
"There's a lollipop in my pocket…Light-kun."  
The honorific made Light raise an eyebrow but he smiled still and walked over to L, getting close enough so their mouths almost touched, Light slipped both his hands into L's deep pockets.

L was grinning like a little devil and Light was smiling almost too calmly as he pulled his hands back, raising a lollipop in his left hand to their eye level, he glanced at it,  
"Grape too…nice flavor."  
"There are better…" L said in a rather low tone and Light blushed when L's strawberry scented breath was felt against his mouth but he distracted himself with raising what was in his other hand, it was a set of car keys, he merrily pushed it back into L's pocket and was only mildly stunned when L nibbled on his bottom lip,  
"Light-kun is being mean by teasing me."  
Light stepped back and started unwrapping the sweet,  
"I don't know what you're talking about…" he walked toward the door and out of the room.

Light reached the entrance hall and was putting his Van's on and enjoying the grape flavor of the sweet when L came trotting down the stairs after him, pulling his jacket on.  
Light glanced at him as he came beside him and started putting his own shoes on, Light didn't know why he hadn't noticed the shoes.  
Sayu came down the stairs just after L had pulled the door open and she frowned at them,  
"Are you eating a lollipop…?" she blinked at Light.  
L was still eating his and he smiled while ruffling his already untidy hair,  
"I gave it to him to say sorry…" he winked at her and she grinned.

Light's face went sour very quickly,  
"Sayu." He said as a warning and she quickly stopped smiling and continued on her way into the lounge.  
He turned back to L who bobbed his shoulders and Light pushed him lightly out of the door.

It was cool outside, not enough for the jacket that L was wearing but he supposed it wasn't all that hot. He glanced around,  
"You have keys but where's the car?" he asked after taking the lollipop out of his mouth.  
L gave him a blank look as if he didn't know and Light was confused but then the other boy crossed the street and pulled the keys from his pocket to press an alarm button.  
The blue Mercedes parked where L stood…an expensive one at that, made a loud blip sound and the lights flashed.  
L smiled as if to say 'found it' and Light dead panned as he crossed the street,  
"Don't mind my asking L, but did you steal this?" he enquired with a small frown, seeing L toss the small plastic stick into the grass.  
"That's offensive…" L said sounding anything but as he opened the drivers side door.  
"Seriously."  
"Light, relax, it's not stolen. It's mine. Look at the plates, genius." He said sarcastically and gestured for Light to look.

Light narrowed his eyes and walked round from the passenger door to the front of the car, sure enough the number plate said L, just L. He wondered what were the odds when he jumped at the loudness of L honking the car horn,  
"Would you get in already!" he heard L shout but couldn't see him because he'd switched the headlights on, on purpose probably.  
Light rolled his eyes and following L's terrible example, tossed the remainder of his lollipop into the grass on the curb and walked back to the passenger side, he pulled the door open before getting in and closing it with a snap he turned to L,  
"Explain, how it is you drive a Mercedes SL roadster. This is not exactly the car you get as your first unless you're a rich little snot." Light asked.  
He knew it was very possible that L was a rich snot because by the looks of it all of them were, these California boys all had money and they were living the 'high' life and breaking all the rules. Anyone made a movie about that yet? Ch'eah…

Light raised an eyebrow when L started the car and then titled his head of black hair to look at him,  
"Light…you really ask the worst sorts of questions…I can tell you this though…" he paused and gave Light a once over, "…this car's drop top makes backseat shagging very easy."  
Light shook his head and pulled his seat belt on,  
"Just shut it and drive L."

He heard the other laugh and then they started moving. Light knew that in America teens drove from the age of 16 so it wasn't surprising and L looked pretty good behind the wheel, Light noticed.  
Glancing over at the slightly taller boy leaning back casually, eyes checking his mirrors lazily and pale hands gliding over the black steering smoothly. The car smelled of clean leather but it was far from spotless, Light took a moment to look around at the shoes on the floor behind L's seat and an open bag revealed some training clothes on the back seat.  
There were empty plastic water bottles, about 4, on the back seat as well and one at his feet along with some squashed up papers and sweet wrappers.  
In the cup holder was a 7/11 coffee cup that Light assumed had been there for while.  
"You know they have this thing called cleaning…it's pretty popular in this day and age."  
"Are you offering?"  
"Pft, you wish." Light smirked.  
"Pity, I thought perhaps you might consider washing the car for me too."

Light didn't comment because L didn't sound like he was making a rude joke, he sounded dead serious and he was not getting baited into washing the damn car. If L could drive a fucking expensive car, he could afford a valet.  
"You still didn't tell me where we're going." He sighed when L shuffled next to him and then noticed how L casually let go of the steering wheel…they were on the freeway now. Light grabbed it quickly and kept it straight, eyes focused on the road and his face annoyed as L lit a cigarette, glancing at Light's great effort with a smirk.

He put the items back in the car compartment and placed his free hand back on the steering, wrapping his slender fingers around the lower part of it calmly,  
"Thank you."  
"Damn you…you do that often?" Light asked as he let go and folded his arms, heart beating a little bit faster.  
"I do actually…the thing is, hands on the steering isn't always necessary." L informed him.  
"Like hell it isn't, its a law of driving. One hand on the steering at all times." He chastised.  
"Says he who doesn't possess a license or experience in driving." L mumbled before smoking from the small white cylinder.  
"Are you saying I'm wrong about the written rules?" he challenged.  
"I'm saying that rules don't govern practicality…they simply complicate things that would be easier other wise."  
Light was going to comment but L cut in,  
"Have you ever driven, Light-kun?" there was the honorific in between all that English again and Light just shook his head, half answering L and half irritated, but he hadn't driven before.  
L was nodding when he glanced back,  
"Feeling smug now, as if you've made a valid point."  
"Actually, I was just considering…letting you drive." L glanced at him, cruising at a moderate speed unlike Matt did on the freeway.  
"No, thank you."  
"You don't want to learn?"  
"I don't want you to pull some crazy fucking stunt like swapping seats on the freeway." Light said matter of factly and smiled knowingly when L blinked and frowned,  
"It seems you read my mind…" he mumbled with a smirk.  
"Hardly…" Light mumbled back, "…I can just guess how reckless you can be."  
"Ha…really?" L sounded far too amused.

In that instant Light felt the car pull forward, speed picking up powerfully and easily in the roadster, the car hummed quietly as it started passing every other car, L crossing lanes with quick flicks of the indicator between cars until he was in the fast lane less than a half a minute later.  
"I love the speed lane…" he said as smoke sifted from his mouth as he grinned.  
"It's not called a speed lane, L." Light kept his voice even as he held the seat a little tighter at the sides of his legs.  
L was over Matt's speed now and his foot wasn't easing up on the gas, Light glanced ahead and saw another car up ahead,  
"We're coming up too fast…" he breathed out as the back lights of the other car got brighter, L didn't flinch and Light was relieved when the other car indicated and shifted out of the lane, L passed him easily and when Light glanced back, the guy moved back into the lane as he drifted farther away.  
"Courtesy is to move when a car is coming up faster than your going…"  
"Oh, get over your practical road rules you dick, you were over the speed limit." Light said and switched on the cd player, startled when loud music not unlike Mello's blared through the speakers. He turned it down and switched it to the radio and saw L smirking.  
"What now?" he looked around as they crossed lanes again and L went onto an off ramp road,  
"You're such good girlfriend material…" he snickered, "…ow!" L's arm was sore after Light punched him.  
"It's gonna be in your face eventually if you keep it up."  
"That didn't work out so well for you last time." L took him back to their first confrontation.  
"Yeah well, I didn't know you could fight back then, I underestimated you."  
L laughed quietly,  
"I see, plotting against me?" he turned up a suburban street and Light glanced around, there were higher buildings here, apartments.  
"Where is this? It's new."  
"We decided we'd hang out at Mello's, since you've seen Near, B and Matt's places already." L finally informed him.  
"…why do I feel like there is a set path to this situation I'm in." He asked with a side glance to L.  
"Not really, it's just that we tend to move between those particular places on a regular basis, best you know them all."  
"I don't know them all." Light told him honestly.  
"Well, you'll come to know them."

They drove very far along a few roads, up and down and finally they turned up to an electronic gate and L pressed something on the key's hanging from the ignition and it started rolling open.  
'Mello wasn't kidding about L living with all of them…' he thought vaguely as they drove into the undercover parking and L stopped in a reserved spot with a number on the concrete, 9.  
He got out and took a breath, he could smell the ocean but he could also hear it and it was a soothing sound, the wind was higher and it tossed his hair around a bit.  
"This is nice place…" Light said to L as he came around the car and they started walking to the stairs for the entrance.  
"It is actually, 15 private units, facing the beach front from the veranda's. 1 to five is studio flats, 6 to 10 are one bedroom and the remaining are two." L informed him.  
"Wow…exclusive or something, why do you know so much?"  
"Expensive more like, I want to move here when I graduate…but Mello owns his apartment, on a monthly lease this place would set you back about $2500 dollars."  
Light blinked as he did the mental conversion,  
"That's over 200 000 yen." He stated as they climbed the 12 glass tile steps to the brightly lit entrance.  
"Hm…205,208.40 yen to be exact, however that is based on this mornings news, it may well have changed."

Light stopped just before the swivel entrance doors and frowned just slightly as he watched L, pale, unstable, intriguing and a ridiculously bad influence, with some mild curiosity…on the calculation he'd just made.  
It wasn't a great figure, it wasn't something to marvel at, it was a basic calculation…but Light hadn't expected any kind of math understanding to come from someone like L…he didn't even look like he could do big sums without a calculator. He pushed the doors and he followed in, seeing L turn to look at him through the glass expectantly. He knew he was insulting L by thinking he was so incredibly stupid…but he just didn't think much of any of them school wise. Then again…

Matt was at UCLA, doing 'okay', he 'managed'. Whatever Mello and B did escaped him but it seemed like they were prospering and Near was just as much a confusion.  
'Maybe I shouldn't just assume…L may be able to do math without a calculator after all…' he thought mockingly and saw L raise an eyebrow after looking at him as they approached the elevators.  
"You look as if your enjoying your thoughts…" he commented.  
"They're of you…" Light smiled.  
"Nothing good, I'm sure…" L smirked.  
"Well, at least they're of you at all…"  
"Of course, how special I am to occupy your thoughts." L deadpanned.  
"…" Light pressed the elevator button and L made a bored expression as he started to chew at his thumb nail.

**Ding**


	13. Drunks, Lovers, Sinners and Saint- eh

**AN: I'm sorry for the delay in reuploads. I want to try and get it out of the way so I can start new updates but I've been busy. **

**This chapter has been censored.**

**Warnings: Partially Graphic Content and mentions/effects of drugs**

**This chapter was inspired by System of a Down, Innervision and the Drug Ballad by Eminem.**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

* * *

Light stepped out on the ninth floor just after L who was whistling and seemingly relaxed, his walk was lazy and his unlaced sneakers dragged along the carpeted hall as they approached whichever apartment was Mello's.

"You're in a good mood…" he mumbled and L glanced at him,  
"Hm…had a good week."  
"You weren't at school even once, I'm sure it was."  
"I was making up for the fact that I have to be there every day next week, so be prepared to keep me company." L informed him and stopped at a door with a silver number 9 on it, his thin hand slipping from his pocket to grasp the handle and he opened it, leaning against the door as it swung in slowly.

"Why do you have to be there everyday next week?" Light wanted to know as he followed L inside and closed the door behind himself, L walking into the large space that was a lounge, a very lavish leather and fur decorated lounge in moody lighting.  
Light blinked,  
"This looks like something out of Austin Powers, except without the 'groovy' bright colors." He gestured the word with his fingers as he looked around the red, black, white and oddly enough purple layout of the large space. He noticed some music was playing quietly which brought him to the décor of the lounge where the entertainment unit was.  
The lounge was a square more or less, toward the middle was a step which dropped the center of the lounge lower, two bean bags in purple and black sat at two separate ends of the instep into the floor were 3 leather couches, all 2 seaters in black with ruby red furry cushions settled on them randomly.

The wall had a large flat screen mounted into it with two large TV unit towers on each side, one holding CD's and the other holding books. Surround sound was mounted onto the four corners of the deep purple walls in the lounge and white curtains covered one full wall behind the centralized bean bags and one couch and about 10 small flat ceiling lights illuminated the place slightly. It was…

"Mello has mood altering taste…you should see his bedroom. Just being in there makes me want to…shag." He chose to use the word since Light had mentioned Austin Powers and the brunette smiled and kept looking around. The floors around the instep were black tile but the floor in the instep had black fur carpeting.  
"Never step down there with shoes or socks on, he'll throw you out." L informed him and Light paused as he had been about to and then he turned back to L who walked through a doorway covered by black, red and purple beads.  
He quickly followed after L and as he walked into another short hall, to his left was a kitchen, all black top and white cupboards, not very big but nice for a bachelor. He glanced at L who walked to the single door at the end of the short corridor, all alls were purple. He walked over to the pale teen and glanced into a black sliding door which revealed only a toilet and basin beyond it, plain white and mostly bare.

Because of the lack of shower, Light figured it was guest toilet and there was probably an en-suite in the bedroom, the very same to which L was knocking on a door right then,  
"Mello?" he called a bit loudly.  
"It's not locked…" Mello's voice came through the door quietly.  
L went ahead and opened the door before he walked inside and Light followed, gazing around the room since L had piqued his curiosity about the bedroom. The 4 walls were painted in black and red stripes, almost concealing a black sliding door that was the en-suite and another two which were probably a closet.  
All the furniture which consisted of a dresser, two sets of drawers, a desk with a lap top and a small sound system, was black including the tiles on the floor. The curtains over one window were black as well with what Light saw was red lacing underneath since the curtains weren't closed.

He finally dragged his eyes over to the bed where L sat, the headboard was against one wall, both sides open since the bed was centralized, black wooden headboard and side tables, white lamps with red light bulbs made the room look like a sex club atmosphere. The bed was large and instead of silk covers, like Light would have expected, the duvet looked soft and comfortable, so did the pillows, all in rich purple, black and red colors.  
And then there was Mello, blonde hair all over a black pillow as his face was pressed into a pillow, his body up to his torso covered with the duvet and pillows all around him.  
'Looks comfortable…' he thought, trying to ignore the fact that the room made him feel like getting comfortable himself, L was onto something with this room, it smelled of rich chocolate.

Speaking of which, L slipped his shoes off and brought his body completely onto the bed, laying down next to Mello who was mumbling something.  
Light walked closer and stood at the bedside where L lay,  
"…fucking asshole…my face hurts…" Mello was mumbling and L was staring at his head with what Light identified as affection, he liked that look.  
'He looks…so sweet like that, instead of like a jerk…is Mello talking about him?' he wondered then at Mello's muffled complaints.  
"Are you okay?" Light ventured, deciding he really didn't want to be the idiot standing there while two friends sat together…he wanted to be included.

Mello raised his head in Light's direction, having obviously not known he was with L and he sighed, leaning up on his elbows and using a hand to push all of his hair to one side out of his face, untidy and darker in the red lit room. Since the duvet slid down just a bit when Mello leaned up, Light glanced over the long scar to the one side of his shoulder and a tattoo of the words 'Love to Live' in elegant script font, black ink about 8 inches long and an inch high on his right side.  
'That must have hurt…' he thought, knowing that tattoos on certain places hurt more than others, Light was never going to get a tattoo, aside from how his family would probably scream bloody murder, he was not fond of needles enough to sit through that.

"Hey Light…" the dazed blonde mumbled and his gaze went from Light to L who still just lied there, Mello smiled and wriggled over to L under the blanket, resting his head on L's stomach and L's long fingers slipped into his blonde hair and played with the soft pin straight locks lazily.  
"Sit down…" Mello barely raised a hand to gesture and Light sat at the end near L's socked feet and the lump of blanket that was Mello's feet.  
He sighed quietly and leaned back against the bottom of the low post bed and they sat that way for a while, Mello's eyes closed and L seemed as if he might sleep too, it was strange how sleepy he himself became around them. They were all so over the top and yet when they behaved this way, comfortable around one another, it was like…they were comforting to him.  
He still didn't know what happened to make Mello seem so down and Mello hadn't answered him when he'd asked if he was okay.

He felt them shift and looked up from where he'd been staring at the floor, the deep red of the room was very relaxing and his eyes had to adjust a bit. Mello was sitting up now next to L, the duvet was covering his lower half but his upper body was uncovered, it was at this point that Light became aware that the blonde was completely nude. Mello ran his hands through his hair pulling it back from his face, glancing at L beside him who turned to the bedside and lifted an elastic band up before handing it to Mello.  
By this time, having seen Mello's face properly, Light became aware of the dark blue bruise around his eye but before he could enquire, Mello tossed the duvet off himself -it landed mostly on L- and slid off the bed…naked.  
Light's first thought was avert his gaze but he didn't because he knew, and was right, that Mello didn't care and L didn't care, in fact L was very happy to stare at Mello as he walked around the bed to the set of drawers on the opposite wall.  
Light let his eyes follow Mello's body…toned to the T.  
Beyond was all tight muscle but he looked harsh and dangerous, Mello looked contoured soft and his tan was even, which meant he was a fan of being nude, even in the sun.

After pulling a pair of black briefs out of his draw Mello walked back to the bed near the two of them and winked at Light as he pulled the underwear on and Light didn't even realize he was staring at Mello's body until L nudged him with his toe,  
"Light…Mello wont mind if you want to do more than stare…" he was smirking and speaking very innocently.  
Mello who had leaned over and pulled a cigarette out of a box in the beside drawer, glanced at Light and smiled before lifting up a lighter.  
"I'm not staring." Light sat up straighter and looked away from them both.  
The smell of smoke was strong after the initial light and Mello spoke up,  
"You watch porn Light?"  
The brunette blushed a bit and glanced at Mello standing as if he wasn't a big naked distraction and smoking,  
"I have…but not much." He admitted and watched as L took the cigarette from Mello's hand, nails adorned with chipped black nail polish.

"You want us to give you a show…?" he said slyly and took two steps to stand in front of Light, uninterested in his black eye and whatever had upset him, he nudged Light's legs apart and stood between them.  
Light absently leaned back on one of his hands to get away from Mello's crotch now very close to his face,  
"No thanks…"  
Mello sighed,  
"L, I thought you said you broke him in?" he tilted his head to look at L.  
"Half way…" L said around tufts of smoke coming from his mouth as he relaxed back against the headboard.  
"So what did you do?" Mello asked as if Light wasn't sitting there and blushing.  
"Didn't B tell you?"  
"No, he just said that you made progress."  
"I fin****d him." L said it so blatantly that Light turned red in an instant and pushed Mello away from him so he could stand up quickly and make a run for it,  
"…excuse…me." He started to leave and Mello grabbed his arm,  
"Hey, don't' freak out Light." He didn't sound like he was suggesting, it was a little more firmly said than Light felt he could argue with in his embarrassed state.

"You can't just talk about me like that…" he pulled back from Mello, blushing more at how close the almost naked man was to him.  
"It's nothing bad…" Mello was laughing quietly, "…your acting like we're gonna laugh at you."  
"You still don't get it…" L mumbled and Light narrowed his eyes,  
"I get it L…okay, you guys do this stuff…" he waved his arms around the bed.  
"What stuff?" L asked and leaned over to put the cigarette out in the built in ashtray of the side table.  
"You guys…do it…with each other." He waved his arms and frowned when he blushed more.  
Both Mello and L smiled and the dark haired teen got up, walking over to Mello and humming,  
"Let's give him a short lesson…"  
"No, L…" Light shook his head with a worried frown.  
"Hush…" L raised a hand and Light's eyebrows came together even further.  
"We do it with one another…yes." L explained, "…is there no interest you might have in doing it with one of us?" he smiled and as he stepped behind Mello, he slid a hand around Mello's torso and leaned his chin on Mello's shoulder while he watched Light's eyes drift to his hand.  
"I don't know…" Light sounded uncertain.  
"Don't lie." L's tone became short.  
Light glanced around ,feeling his control on the situation slipping and he was proved right when L spoke,  
"Light…I'll give you choices and-"

A door that could only be the entrance to Mello's apartment slammed and Light turned to look at Mello's open bedroom door, the tension building diffused and L let Mello go, Light keeping his eyes on the ground.  
"…I'll go…" Mello mumbled and with a fleeting kiss to L's lips he left the room.  
L looked pointedly at Light,  
"What's wrong with you?"  
"What do you mean?" Light shot back defensively.  
"I thought we were passed your naïve bullshit."  
"Naïve bull-"  
"Yes, this virginal shit…where your all nervous and hesitant."  
"Listen…" Light raised his voice a bit since L's deep voice almost naturally was louder than his own, "…just because we did something like that doesn't mean I'll just be okay with everything and anything you all want to do."  
"Well then I'll take you home." L walked passed him and bumped him deliberately.

Light looked indignant,  
"What!?" he shouted and followed L out of the room, L ignored him and walked back into the lounge with Light right behind him. The brunette grabbed L's shoulder so he turned half way to face Light, ignoring Beyond who was taking a closer look at Mello's eye and they turned now to the teens.  
"Because I don't wanna see live porn you're taking me home, so what then? I'm out of your little circle of friends?" Light was angrier than he realized he would be as he pointed a finger in L's face.

L smacked his pointing hand aside quite harshly,  
"Don't f*cking point at me and no, I'm taking you home because we'll be 'doing it' with each other tonight as we do all the time and if your not partaking, your just going to be a hindrance. Until you decide your ready to stop being such a goddamn sissy, you can sit at home with mum and dad and watch bloody soap opera's and read your text books. I am not a baby-."

"L." Beyond's voice silenced L instantly and the sneering teen caught himself quickly, sighing out loudly as he gave Light a withering glare before turning away, cussing under his breath and walking back through the doorway they'd come through.  
Light blinked and unclenched his fists since he had been ready to punch L and Mello laughed,  
"L has a bad temper but he has a lot of control as well, so what you saw was just him being irritated." He informed Light and walked passed Light, stepping down into the instep before he flopped on one of his couches.  
Light said nothing, knowing L kicked like a horse and sighed while watching as B walked through the door to follow L, he shook his head and slipped his shoes off before stepping down and sitting in a purple bean bag.  
Mello was lying down on the couch and turned onto his stomach to look at Light about a half a meter from him,

"What are you scared of?" he asked quietly.  
Light didn't answer, keeping his eyes on the ground as he sunk lower into the round large bean bag.  
"Are you scared of sleeping with us? Because we're men?" he paused "You know…" Mello leaned up on his elbows, his cross dangling from his neck and some hair strands falling forward and framing his fair smooth attractive face, "…I get it, that you're a little apprehensive. I was around 16 when I first slept with a guy, 15 when I slept with a girl." He elaborated and Light found himself listening, curious, so he paid attention and lifted his gaze to Mello.

"Sleeping with a guy was a lot scarier that when I did it with a girl, especially for me…since I'm naturally inclined to be on the bottom…and because you know…that you are also inclined to be submissive, its scares you…the control thing right, being with someone who is in control." he was speaking very quietly.  
"How do you know I'd be on the bottom?" Light mumbled.  
Mello raised an eyebrow,  
"I guess I could be wrong…I doubt it though." He sounded amused now.  
"I just don't know how you do it…" he mumbled and made a confused expression at Mello's calm smile.  
Mello shifted and sat up, leaning back against the couch and bringing one naked leg to cross on the couch,  
"We love each other…" Mello mumbled back.  
"I don't get it…" Light said honestly, "…love each other, so you all sleep together?"  
"You won't unless you get to the point where you discover how few people in this world will really do anything for you, how few you can trust." He smiled at Light, "Who wouldn't want to be with the people they know would never let them down."

Light chose this time to ask since he could analyze Mello's words later,  
"How long have you all known each other?"  
Mello frowned,  
"Like…a really long time." He said vaguely.  
That surprised Light a bit,  
"How do you know one another?"  
He sighed and resigned himself to explaining,  
"Matt and I have known each other for about 13 years, we lived next door to each other and went to the same junior school when we were just little kids and we'd sleep over and stuff cause our parents knew each other really well." He smiled, "…then when Matt was 13 he went to a different junior high school from me and he met B, so that's how I met B because he and Matt became really good friends."

Light was nodding and encouraging Mello, knowing L would come in next probably.  
"We were friends with B for about a year before he introduced us to L…he used to do weekend work for L's dad, like gardening and washing all of those expensive cars. So they became friends…" there was a strange tone to his words now, that appreciation and love in his voice like how L had had when he looked at Mello earlier.  
"L is really important to you?" he asked and Mello nodded,  
"Yeah, he's something else…having him around is just…awesome. He's no regular teenager, do you think you'd have known L was 17 if you hadn't met him in school?" Mello asked with a raised eyebrow.  
Light thought about it and shrugged,  
"I guess not, he looks pretty young but he doesn't act it."  
"Neither do you. " Mello smirked, "Although when you look really closely you can see your fear, inexperience whereas L was actually more mature than any of us when he was 14…" Mello pointed out without much interest in how Light felt about his words, "…but over all, L probably knows your a lot like him. Like all of us and that's why he likes you." he stared at Light, his blue eyes darkening, "…something about you makes attracted him"

'Alike?' Light wondered but didn't say anything and sighed,  
"So about Near?" he asked and glanced behind him at the stilled beaded doorway where B and L hadn't returned from.  
"Near we met about 2 years ago and he latched onto L very quickly…he's a creepy little basterd." Mello said casually.  
"You guys don't get along?" he was curious since Mello was hot and cold about Near.  
"Uh…" he seemed to think about it, "…I don't know. I guess its like, I'd probably kick the shit out of anyone who messed with him, but I'd also kick the shit out of him if he messed with me."  
Light found it in himself to chuckle at that and Mello smiled before becoming serious,  
"Just remember that whatever happens with us and you…if anything happens and you decide to stick around, you don't have to feel shame or be self conscious because we're not judging you, as long as your doing what you want to do then there's nothing wrong with that and if that's doing what we all do, that's even better." he smirked.

"What I kill people because I want to?" was strangely the first thing that came to mind, probably because it was the most questionable thing to do.  
Mello smirked widened creepily and his eyes narrowed,  
"S'long as they deserve it…" he said licked his lips absently.  
Light blinked and swallowed a bit nervously but wasn't deterred so he changed the subject,  
"Mello…what happened to your eye?" he asked sincerely. Light liked Mello, he liked all of them and it wasn't just for the bad -liberal- things they done, he wanted to know what happened to Mello because he'd seemed upset.  
The blonde looked as if he'd just remembered he had a black eye and he sighed,  
"Matt…" he mumbled and scratched his neck.  
"Matt, hit you?" he asked more surprised than any else, he hadn't expected that.  
Mello laughed,  
"Don't seem so surprised, we're dudes, we fight. You should see when L and Matt go at it, it gets messy when they fight…the two of them rolling down Matt's house stairs…that was hilarious. The bruises were bad but the making up is always worth it." he winked and was smirking, obviously liking that memory.  
Light wanted memories.

"So you two fought?" he was smirking now since Mello seemed relaxed about it, he'd also anted to fight with L just a moment ago, hell, he and L had already gotten into a fight.  
"Yeah…" he nodded, "…well, no. I called him a c*nt and he shoved me into the wall, so I punched him in his face…" he raised his barely bruised hand, "…when Matt realized I'd almost broken his nose he punched me back…and then he left."  
"Why'd you call him a c*nt?" Light didn't bother to be tactful, these people were not superficial like that.  
"It was more of an irritated thing…he was in a bad mood. Matt has his really bad days where he's like Jekyll and Hyde, schizophrenic nut job…" Mello crossed his eyes and made a twirling motion at his temple with a middle finger.  
Light laughed because Mello looked funny and because he also knew that there was a reason that Matt scared him, now he figured it had something to do with the way he always seemed unreadable. Like he was never in the same frame of mind for very long.

"So we were talking about…I think about his hair, cuz' even though it looks like he never bothers with it, Matt actually spends about a half hour doing his hair in the morning…" Mello was very heartily informing Light about these things and Light liked it, it made him feel more…familiar.  
He didn't kn0w if it was Mello's intention but it was working.  
"Then I called him a bitch…all in good fun but he wasn't in the mood and as usual…I don't care." He smiled, "So I told him he could go f*ck himself and stop acting like a c*nt…and the rest…" he gestured to his face, "…is obvious."  
"You guys fight a lot?"  
"Once a week sometimes. Matt and Beyond don't ever fight strangely enough…never have. I argue a lot with B but he always smiles and apologizes, gropes me or something and I cant help but love him for it…" he laughed.  
Light smiled,  
"You really are a bottom…" he teased and Mello laughed a bit,  
"Yes…yes, I am. He nodded amused.  
"So what about L, do you fight with him…" he ventured further, "…does B?" he wanted to know how strong their 'relationship' was.

"Me? Fight with L? Never…" he scratched his toned stomach and his hand slipped very casually into his underwear front as he spoke, "…the most I've ever fought with L was when he didn't call me for about a week and I yelled at him for about 20 minutes on the phone because I had been worried…then he said he was sorry and…eh…" he grinned, "…I melted, he's too cute to stay mad at."  
"Cute? He's like satan." Light offered with a raised eyebrow.  
"Yeah maybe…" he laughed, "…but a really cute satan."  
"Pft…" Light laughed as well.

"You enjoyed what happened between you too…?" Mello went around the B and L question easily a moment later. Light didn't know if he'd just forgotten or not but it was a direct change of subject, "…we're sharing, don't be shy." He encouraged.  
Light sighed and looked away from Mello,  
"Yeah…I did."  
"Hell yeah you did…" he smiled naughtily.

Light blushed, shaking his head and then turned his attention to L and B as they came out into the lounge again. L looked fine, lazy and relaxed again, B seemed about the same as always, somewhere between serious and naughty. Mello got up and stepped up to them,  
"What are we doing now? Misa has shrooms if you guys are interested?" he suggested.  
"Is she home?" L asked as the three of them stood just outside of the instep talking, Light feeling that annoying displacement again.

"Yeah she should be, she only came home like 11 o clock this morning from that club…she called me and slurred about what a great night she had…crazy bitch…" Mello said and Light smiled at the familiar name.  
"I'll call her…" the blonde walked over to the white phone mounted on the wall near the door.  
Light glanced at the large TV on the wall when it switched on to a music channel, he didn't notice Beyond until the other sat on the couch opposite him and gave him a wink before turning his attention back to the band on TV, using the remote to switch the still playing hifi off.

"…Misa…I don't care about your hangover…no, I don't…I do have painkillers though. Yeah yeah...bring it over already and I'll give you the painkillers…" he finished the conversation that Light had only caught half way and he hung up. L was leaning against a table that was just at the entrance to the lounge, where a few papers and mail were lying.  
L turned to Mello,  
"What was she drinking?"  
"The question is what wasn't she drinking…" Mello laughed and walked through to leave the lounge.  
Light was just absorbing things like he usually did and analyzing it quietly, everything Mello had said made enough sense, they weren't judging him or watching him…hell, Mello was walking around in briefs and scratching his crotch very openly and seemed like he really wouldn't mind if any of the joined in.

And as he'd already confirmed…he liked them as well.

He glanced at L who was looking through something on his phone and Light got up, with some effort since he'd effectively sunk quite deep into the comfortable lump of beans. He sighed and walked over to L, his socks sliding against the clean tile a she forced himself to get over…well, himself.  
He came to stand in front of L who glanced up at him,  
"Just leave it…" L mumbled.  
"I'm sorry." Light mumbled back.  
L shrugged,  
"No need, I'm not sorry…it's just the way shit happens." He pushed his phone along with his hands back into his pockets and regarded Light with lazy eyes.  
'Asshole…' Light thought but smirked, '…dudes will fight…friends will fight.' he thought about Mello's words which were true, people fought all the time.

Light glanced around, Beyond seemed uninterested and Mello was still busy somewhere in the apartment s0 with a short breath, Light worked up the courage and he stepped forward so he was just about pressing against L.  
He brushed their lips together and then kissed L lightly on the mouth and pulled back,  
"I'll stop acting like a baby…if you stop acting like a dick…" he leaned away again and L stared at him, a small smile creeping up on his face,  
"No promises." he made an innocent face.  
"Of course not." Light said sarcastically and rolled his eyes, L reached out, grabbing the front of the shirt Light wore and he half fell against L. One of his hands on L's chest and the other landing on the table behind L.  
Their mouths met, L kissed him thoroughly making Light very dazed as he was just following L's…lead.  
'Am I really just naturally inclined to be…bottom?' he wondered.

The front door opened suddenly and a whining Misa stomped in wearing pajama's, full dark blue cotton pyjama's with teddy bears and everything, her hair pulled up into a make shift bun, make up-less. Light pulled back from L a little startled at her appearance -without make up and just generally the fact she was standing in the room - hadn't Mello just called her?  
She had seen them kissing and didn't seem to care as she pressed her hand to her forehead and frowned, pouting at L,  
"While your sucking face with pretty Light, I'm suffering!" he said dramatically, not looking half bad without make up on.  
"Your loud voice hardly helps your case, Misa." L tilted his head, smiling cutely.  
"I knooooow…."she whined again and made a fake cry baby noise when L grinned,  
"Took you long enough, how slow do you have to be to walk 20 feet Misa…" Mello walked in and shook a bottle of pills noisily as he approached.  
"Very sore…Mello…so very very slowly…"  
'20 feet? Jesus…she lives in the building…right next door!?' Light was staring at the less than bubbly girl she usually was,  
"I think the property value of this place should be less…" he mumbled and L laughed very amused by that as Misa made a 'whatever' face. Light turned his attention back to L and he stepped back so L could move from the table, realizing he'd been completely comfortable standing against the other boy a moment ago.  
"Light-kun is mean to Misa…she really is very loveable…she'll do anything for someone she loves." he walked over to her, taking her face in his hands and kissing her nose, "She may be a slut…but she loves very deeply with her heart too." he held back a laugh and snuggled her sore head so she whined again.

Misa punched his stomach very lightly and leaned against him with a smile when he laughed, Mello was smiling too and shaking his head,  
"Yeah…doesn't mean her voice won't cause mass suicide." he added.  
Light laughed at that and she managed to hold onto L and snatch the painkillers from her brother all in one go,  
"Mello should wear some clothes, if I kicked him in his b*lls it will hurt very much." She said slyly.

Even B laughed at that one.  
After they'd laughed at Mello's expanse, the blonde simply brushing Misa's comment off casually, Misa slipped from L's grasp somehow managing to grope Light inappropriately and very quickly before he could react she left the plastic jiffy bag in Light's hands and said goodbye.  
Light raised the bag and looked at its contents, not in the least bothered by his make out session with L or Misa's inappropriate touches, quite proud of himself in fact for letting all of his paranoia go, he took it in his stride and just let it be, like they all did.  
"Magic mushrooms." Light mumbled and glanced at the others.  
"Ah…have we found something that pretty boy knows?" B got up at the sight of the package.  
Light raised his eyebrows and handed the older man the bag when he was close enough, L leaning beside him on the table.

"Eminem…" Light smiled.  
"Wow…that's surprising…you listen to that?" L almost laughed.  
"I went through phase…" he gave him a dull look.  
B shook his head,  
"Your such a nerd."  
"Shut up B…" he mumbled with a small embarrassed smile.  
"No seriously…did you go through a Britney Spears faze too?" he asked and pulled the bag open.  
"No…"  
"Why do you look so guilty…" Mello piped up and reached into the bag.

They all laughed.

Light hadn't gone through a faze of Britney Spears, but he had occasionally found himself singing along to it when Sayu listened to it but he wisely chose to stay quiet…or not, since they were laughing anyway. Oops…he did it again…  
'Damn it…' he laughed inwardly.  
They were all chewing on the mushrooms when the bag was handed back to him and L swallowed his own and turned to Light,  
"This is not addictive…and it will maybe leave a bit of a headache and nausea afterward but it's a relaxing trip…we wont be leaving to go anywhere tonight so just take it easy…"  
"Don't stress about it and don't freak out…"  
"That's the trick…" B added after Mello and went to sit down again, turning the music channel up a bit.  
Light forced himself not to doubt himself and he reached into the bag, taking the piece and eating in, it did not taste good at all but he got through it…would he get through it?

* * *

"I think that I would kill someone…if I didn't think I'd get caught…" Light's quiet voice drifted from his mouth, his eyes were a little wide and he was sitting with both legs underneath him on the leather sofa in Mello's gro0vy pad while he stared at the fur of the red cushion in his lap.

Beyond's grey eyes slid languidly over to Light beside him, half lidded, distant and looking decidedly uninterested in the high brunette.  
"I…would…kill…" Light half smiled, looking utterly retarded.  
"Really…" Beyond mumbled as he watched Light's pupils, dilated as they moved slowly in wide eyed contemplation.

He turned to B and they shared a moment where Light looked determined and B looked half asleep, he cracked a smirk and Light did too and they started to snicker at each other while some cartoon channel played on the TV, only because the colors where in abundance.

Mello had dragged L into the bedroom a while ago after making L eat half a tub of ice cream with him and since then neither had emerged, Light had started buzzing around that time so he'd been too distracted by how bright the purples and reds looked and how everything seemed to be moving slowly when he moved his eyes around. Beyond passed the cigarette he'd been smoking, that appeared out of nowhere, to Light and the brunette took it lazily as his mind wondered all over the place, smoking from it with only a small hitch in his throat.

He felt like he was turning around under water, his skin felt like it was soft and animated, body felt cool and light.

They sat in silence again, both off in their own high world with smoke clouding their already tainted vision, Light thinking of ways he could kill without getting caught, eyes widening and narrowing and then he muttered,  
"I think I'm thirsty…" he swallowed and tasted nicotine strong on his tongue, he leaned forward, partially falling off the couch as he got onto his knees and he reached out to the glass table that had two different bottles of clear and dark alcohol on it, 4 shot glasses and a small bag of untouched pills. He missed to grab his beer twice before his fingers met the cool surface, tingling from the sensation.  
Light brought it to his mouth and drank from it spilling a bit of it before placing it on the glass surface again and blinking rapidly, he didn't wanna stand up again so he laid down on the floor, his face against the soft fur, Light felt his face tingle. He opened his eyes and the carpet looked as if it were moving, the music in the background making the light in the room dance too. He laughed quietly, eyes shining and head spinning.

Beyond slowly glanced over at him again and then slipped further down onto the couch relaxing and watching the colors of the TV jumping out at him and then the door opened and someone walked in.  
The stripes Matt wore made B smile and when he spoke his voice seemed louder than it was and Light was amazed, he rolled onto his back and stared at how Matt's eyes seemed the size of tennis balls and Matt sprouted wings and was growing antennae. If B was seeing anything he didn't show it and he waved lazily to Matt's greeting while Light laughed,  
"Hey Matt." B's voice bounced off the walls for Light.  
Light just laughed quietly and rubbed his hands over his face, blinking a few times and enjoying the soft carpet.  
Matt walked closer now holding the bag of mushrooms that had been on the other table, he smiled at them,  
"I see…having all the fun without me…" he shook the bag before he opened it and took one out, placing it in his mouth.

B stood up, stepping over Light and took a close look at Matt's bruised and cut nose, eyes buggy and smile half way crazy,  
"Was it broken?" B sounded half asleep even if he looked like he would run into a wall for fun.  
"No…it hurts though. Listen can I talk to you…" Matt seemed a bit anxious and he glanced at Light, but amused at their situation as he chewed on his own mushroom.  
B nodded and then shook his head and mumbled a 'maybe' before he looked at Light who was getting up and climbing onto the couch,  
"Light…go see what L and Mello are doing."  
"They're having sex…!" Light said a bit loudly and fell off the couch again with wide eyes, "…I don't wanna see that." he shook his head as he grinned and resigned himself to sitting on the floor.  
He'd had a shot of vodka and 2 xtc pills, at B's suggestion, to go with the mushrooms and was spinning out.

B laughed and Matt raised his eyebrows,  
"Wow…drugs make him bold."  
"Haha..hahaha…"B blinked lazily and leaned his head on the slightly shorter red head's shoulder, "…Light needs to get laaaid…"  
Matt smiled and patted B's back,  
"Don't fall asleep jerk off, I need to talk to you…its important." he mumbled to Beyond as the other pulled back and grabbed Matt's face, kissing his mouth with a loud smack and they both smiled,  
"Wow…you haven't kissed me in like a year…" Matt said with a grin, "…how many did you eat?"  
Beyond laughed,  
"Shhhh…" he covered Matt's mouth and then through an arm around Matt's shoulder and looked at Light,  
"Go have sex, Light…" B waved lazily to the beaded doorway.  
Light whined,  
"…buuuut…"he managed to get to his feet and didn't finish his sentence because he looked at the bottle of Vodka, "…okay but I'm taking this…" he grabbed the bottle and giggled as he wobbled from the room.  
"It'll be good for you…" Matt said half laughing as B playfully kissed his neck and mumbled something about smelling like smoke into Matt's hair.

Light waved a hand at Matt dismissively as he walked through the pretty beads wobbling and followed the wall to the door at the end of the hall as he tried to drink from the bottle at the same time,  
"Hey…L, Mello…what the fuck are you guys doing?" he was majorly high and was starting to feel his head spinning unpleasantly as his nerves kicked in, he leaned heavily against the wall as the Vodka burned his throat.

He heard no answer so he went ahead and stepped forward, pressing his hand to the door and pushing it open since it hadn't been closed all the way, Light leaned round the door and his eyes widened and he blinked,  
"Oh…" was all he managed as he took in the sight on the bed.

* * *

_**This was removed in accordance with FF guidlelines, please go to my profile a link to AO3 fan fiction to for uncensored version.**_

* * *

It wasn't long before his mouth and tongue met the hot wet flesh of Mello's shoulder and his hands reached for the button of his own jeans.


	14. Ben Wah Balls

**AN: This chapter has been edited for disallowed content as well as censored.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

* * *

**This NC17 Scene Has Been Removed In Accordance With FF Content Guidelines, for the full chapter, see my FF profile for the AO3 link.**

* * *

Minutes passed…

The door opened and cool air entered the room from the AC in the lounge, Matt and Beyond walked in and glanced at them, at this time Light finally, with shaky arms, lifted himself off of Mello and fell onto the blondes side with exhaustion, he didn't see the point of being bashful, not after all that or the fact that everything looked a little warped, so to hell with reality.  
Light glanced at L who was pulling his boxer shorts up standing beside the bed,  
"II want something to eat…" he spoke as if none of what had just happened, happened.  
Mello sat up, naked and proud of it, leaning on his elbows,  
"When did you get here?" his question was directed at Matt who was still standing beside Beyond at the door.  
"Bout' half an hour…" he answered as he took the cigarette dangling between his lips and exhaled smoke into the choked hot air of the bedroom.

Light was grateful no one seemed to care that he had just had slept with Mello, it made him a little more comfortable about the fact that he had just had SEX with Mello…while he was high anyway.

Light watched as Mello got up and slipped off the bed to walk over to Matt,  
"Did I break it?" he asked about his nose and Matt shook his head,  
"Nope…"

Light tuned out for a moment, thinking he felt slightly sober…slightly. He got off the bed a little less boldly and picked up his underwear to pull it on. L was already almost fully dressed as Light pulled his briefs on.  
He heard Mello apologize and Matt just said yeah its okay and there was a kiss. Light was starting to feel dizzy again since he was vertical and decided to focus fully on putting his clothing on, he felt sticky and dirty.  
"I need a shower…" he managed to say in a slur.  
"I agree…" L mumbled, "I need one too."  
"Lets go down to the beach…" Mello spoke up and Light glanced over to see him pulling his underwear up to.  
Beyond said nothing as he stood beside the door, leaning on it and holding a beer bottle in his hand.  
"Hm, that's a good idea…shower later, cool water now." L smirked.  
"Light, you okay?" Matt asked.  
Light promptly…fell over. Tripping over his own two feet as he leaned over forward to grab his shirt off the floor.

Mello crawled over the bed to look down at him,  
"Light?"  
Light was dizzy as hell and all the noise was starting to get to him.  
"I don't think it'd be a good idea to take him in the water…"  
"I'll stay on shore with him…" Beyond said with a lopsided smile, seeing L helping a grinning Light to his feet.  
"Beyond gave him xtc…" Matt received a punch in his arm from Beyond.  
L smirked and glanced at B,  
"That explains why he's worse than the rest of us…"  
Light rubbed his eyes before he pushed his hair back from his face.

He needed some time to process, he had several different emotions running through him at that moment. He wasn't inclined to be emotionally attached to people he slept with but he wasn't this detached either. Every girl had been someone Light had known for a long time, had dated and made out with and experimented with…never just so brazenly slept with someone, in bed with two and then joined by more just after to chat a bit. He also didn't like the mixed emotions he felt whenever L and B shared some sort of a personal look.

Jealously?

It was likely, he knew that he had a tendency to be jealous if he's obsessive and controlling nature was as strong as he knew it to be. He tried to take a few steps and wobbled, he heard them laughing but helping him steady himself.

"So…the beach?" Light mumbled as he glanced around their swaying forms with slightly lazy eyes and heavy breath.

* * *

They never saw the beach, which was realistic really, none of them, especially Matt since he'd joined in late, were in touch with their faculties enough to leave the apartment. They'd made it to the living room.

Also Light only got as far as his jeans and Mello didn't get farther than his underwear. L and B were the only ones fully dressed minus shoes since Matt had abandoned his shirt at some point.

Matt had tattoos as well, but his were more detailed, larger and graphic, one of them was intricately spiraling along his side and down below the waist of his pants on his right side. Another one was just over his left shoulder, it looked like hooks tattooed into the skin and it ran downward to the center of his spine where it was tattooed to look as if the hooks had broken out of his skin.

'Ouch…' Light had though vaguely, but he honestly also thought it looked cool.

In the living room, Mello had revealed an alcohol cabinet and several glasses…this plus slightly amped up rock music and the décor of Mello's apartment was a hell of a trip.

It was a blur really, Light knew he was speaking but wasn't always aware of what he was saying and everyone was talking around in his head as well. Laughter and swearing and alcohol and the smell of sweat on his bare skin, his hands felt sticky, he flexed his fingers together and then drank another shot of something while they all sat around the 'groovy' lounge.  
Shouldn't he stop? Probably, but he didn't.

At some point there were body shots, L licked up liquor from Matt's stomach while Matt was kissing Light and his nose was stinging…Beyond had poured some liquor in his mouth for Matt to drink…had it gone up his nose?  
He remembered coughing and sputtering…he'd fallen off the couch at some point…again.  
Haha…so did L not long after and Mello tripped over the step and was laying on the tiles in a daze for a good fifteen minutes.

Noise…the music changing and his hair felt wet, his mouth was dry and his eyes started burning. Bass in his ears, his lips were raw, but he kept licking them.  
His eyes burned….burned and burned and his stomach was turning but he didn't wanna throw up.  
Light closed his eyes and it burned worse, so he opened them, his head was spinning and every time he closed his eyes it burned and it hurt to think, his chest even felt heavy.

Heavy…

* * *

Light was sitting on the floor leaning against the bottom of one of Mello's couches.

He could see sunlight coming through the deep white curtains as he sat, wanting to sleep but it hurt to try and he had to swallow continuously to keep his throat from tightening and burning.

He looked around lazily and sniffed, the lounge was empty, he was the only one in it. He cleared his throat and forced his limbs to move, he felt heavy and he made a sound of annoyance in the back of his throat at his jelly legs, he felt like his jaws were shut tightly together, was he clenching his teeth? He didn't know, his face was numb.  
He wobbled and balanced on the couch as he stood up, running his hands over his damp hair and then rubbing his burning eyes until his skin felt sore.

He tried to breath out with less of a heave but his nose was congested so he cleared his throat again. He took a few steps and his feet tingled, they felt like ice but his hands were hot, he rubbed his eyes again as he moved toward the doorway, nearly forgetting the step and stumbling a bit in his slippery socks.  
He paused to gain his balance and looked back at all the bottles and glasses, there were a few spills on the table and the TV was playing cartoons, there was no music on, the plug was taken out of the wall.

He tried to mumble something but his mouth wouldn't co operate, he swallowed and sighed heavily through his blocked nose as he squinted and focused back on the doorway through the beads. He couldn't call out for any of them, where was everyone?  
He pushed through the beads and glanced down the hall way, some light from the kitchen windows shining into the hall, he heard a noise in the kitchen.

Light followed the sound and leaned against the fridge near the doorway, enjoying how cool it was under his burning hands before he leaned around it to look into the room. He saw L and B, not in the predicament he'd spied them in the last time, nothing quite so graphic.  
He wasn't sure if he was grateful for not getting another sex show, but he blinked tightly and then reopened his eyes to see them less blurrily.  
L was sitting on the counter top, Beyond between his legs, all clothing accounted, they were kissing.

Weird…Light wanted to think, but he watched and his mind made a gurgling noise.

It was opened mouth, but lip to lip…like they were kissing each others lips more. It was hot watching it. Two pairs of lips that were far more arousing than Light would have liked, when did he become so very hot for guys kissing?

'Oh right…I slept with a guy…and it was hot…' he thought but it seemed more like he heard himself say it since he wasn't really registering anything right then. He blinked and pressed his cheek against the fridge again, closing his eyes as he breathed, the fridge hummed and the birds chirped from somewhere outside the windows, music filtered down the hall behind him.  
Light felt warmth over his closed eyelids and he opened his eyes again, the sun was coming up a bit more. He glanced over at them again, they continued not seeing him.  
They mumbled some words between themselves.

Light frowned because he heard B say something and L just smiled with his straight white teeth showing just a bit…it sounded like he said something about lov-

Light's stomach made an audible noise when a bout of deep nausea ran through him and when they looked at him he didn't even flinch, instead he smiled stupidly and looking a little queasy,  
"Don…lemmee…stop you." he managed to say, finding that his jaw hurt when he opened his mouth to speak.  
Beyond's lips curled into a smile as he trailed his eyes over Light's lean figure.  
He gestured for Light to come closer.

Light removed himself from the fridge, all inhibitions lost, he dragged his feet over until he could lean beside where L sat on the counter, one of L's cold white hands trailing over the back of his neck and into his damp hair.  
Light felt unclean but the hand was soothing.  
Beyond grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, stepping backward from between L's legs, he turned Light around like a rag doll and settled him between L's legs instead.

Seemed familiar…being between legs while someone was behind him. He blushed just barely, not being able to get enough blood into his cheeks since he was so drained of everything and anything right then. He felt like dead weight and it hurt so badly to close his eyes, sandy.  
L leaned in still smiling a bit to kiss him and he responded even though he felt nauseous, B's hands were on his shoulders, fingers almost massaging him and he was pressed up against Light from behind. He focused on the stale taste of alcohol and a strange salty taste in L's mouth as he kissed with the other teenager liberally and pleasurably.

Making it a habit it seemed.

His hands found their way onto L's jean covered thighs and he leaned up to kiss L more, being a little shorter than B he wanted to reach more of L, who had his hands holding his face lightly. They kissed for a full minute or so, L made a distant quiet moaning noise, Beyond laughed quietly and he ran his hands over L's when they rested on Light's shoulders and then down Light's back lightly, sensual almost.  
"How do I taste, Light?" he asked quietly.

Light genuinely didn't get it for what B meant by it but L was smirking at the comment and he licked his lips for effect it seemed.  
Light could barely frown because his face felt so tight and dry, he needed to shower.  
He stepped back when Beyond did so with hands on his waist and L slipped down off the counter effectively sandwiching Light, he gave the dazed teen a quick kisses to his ear and then he heard L say to follow, so he did when B and L started to leave the kitchen.  
As best as he could that is.

They walked down to the bedroom where they found Matt and Mello in a lump of slumber. Light raised his eyebrows as he took in the sight of a Matt spread out on his stomach and he vaguely noted 'nice butt' as Matt was face down into a pillow with his rear uncovered, Mello was curled up on his side a little more toward the edge of the bed, blonde hair all over the pillow.  
"Least they made up…" Light mumbled as his eyes ran over the bruises adorning Mello's thighs and the side of his waist that was visible, they hadn't been there earlier.  
"Quicker than I thought, usually they swear each other for a few hours before…" L mumbled as well, shuffling closer to the bodies on the bed while ruffling his hair.  
"Did they argue, I cant remember?" Beyond wondered.

L shrugged and crawled over Matt's body before he settled in between the two,  
"Let's get some sleep…" he mumbled and laid comfortably were he settled on his back, half way propped with pillows up against the head board, he closed his eyes and sighed. Beyond was already taking his shirt off and he walked over, nudging Matt who glanced up and frowned heavily at being woken, red lines in his face from the pillow. He rolled over when Beyond mumbled for him too make room and Light saw a fully frontal view of Matt then as he rolled over onto his side, laying partially against L's side and when B laid down Matt chose to snuggle his head into Beyond's back as he lay down to sleep on his side.

He felt awkward, again they all just looked so familiar and natural, but he only let this bother him for all of half a second before he walked over, still shirtless and very sticky, but sleepy despite his head not complying with needing to sleep and keeping him awake. He crawled onto the bed and L smiled at him, Light found himself comfortably laying between L's legs which parted for him to have room and very soon, his cheek pressed against L's shirted stomach warm and firm, rising and falling, he lay and closed his eyes.

* * *

Hours…how many hours had passed? Light didn't know…but he was hungry, nauseous and tired but unable to sleep, he could not rest and was finding it so hard to concentrate or even breath from the congestion and lack of energy. Head sore but numb, how was that possible? Mouth dry and jaw tense…hair wet…he swore he smelled perspiration on his body and a very strong smell…sex and alcohol…permeating around him.

Likely. Probable. And after so many hours…unpleasant.

"Boooooooys!" a high pitched voice rang in his ears and he heard many groans along with his own as bright light entered the bedroom after the sound of heavy curtains being pulled back sounded.  
"Die…Misa…" Matt's voice was heard, hoarse and sleepy.  
"Uh uh uh…I don't care what little drug induced orgy you boys had without me last night." she said cheerily, " Mello promised me you'd all be at the mall today to help me attract girls to my new stock sale…" the music was switched off.

"Over priced shitting clothing…" Mello grumbled just as annoyed and he shifted, Light felt it and then there was another shift before the weight left and Mello had gotten off the bed.  
"It reeks in here…sweat and ass…ew!" Misa shouted but laughed after Mello's reaction to her observation.  
"Shut up and get the hell out…" Mello said sounding bored and in pain as he pulled one curtain closed again and groaned loudly.

"That shirt has some nasty stains on it…hope none of it got on me, this top is so new."  
"Like you haven't had worse on your face…" Mello teased and Misa made a sound of irritation before Mello laughed an 'ow' sound and she cursed him pleasantly.

Light really wanted to lift his head but he managed to groan at least.

Misa's excitable steps went toward the exit,  
"I'm gonna make you boys something to eat…get your lazy asses up." she stated and then she was gone. The room seemed calmer.

There was more shifting after Misa left, leaving her fresh perfume staining the already tainted air and mixing badly, the weight of the bed shifted and Light finally moved his head slightly, turning so his nose was pressed against L's stomach. His neck hurt and his head pounded, he hadn't slept at all, he'd had his eyes burning while he kept them shut but sleep hadn't come to him, not for a second. Torturous.  
L's stomach was warm though and at some point, his shirt had ridden up and Light could feel some warm skin against his face and lips.

'Hmmmmm…'

He turned his head again, brought his arms up on either side of L's waist and he raised up, brushing his nose lightly over L's shirt and stomach again before lifting his head properly and opening his eyes, breathing out noisily and squinting at the horrible stripes on the fucking walls.  
He needed white walls…white walls and clean warm water. Some clarity.

Air came rushing into the room and calmed Light's senses and nerves a bit more, fresh sea scented air making his sticky hair shift on his head. He pushed himself up so he was sitting with his legs awkwardly crossed, still between L's legs, one had fallen flat while he slept though.  
Light focused on the open balcony doors that had been behind the curtains, the ocean view was clear and stunning, even if the brightness gave him a searing pain in his sensitive iris's.

It would be even better to wake up to that view sober.

"…arg…shit…" Matt was grumbling again, Light turned to him to see the man sitting on the beds edge, tattoos so much clearer in daylight, pale skin so much more sallow as well. Matt had a few bruises and nail marks on his back too.  
Light breathed quietly, feeling his nasal passage clearing a bit since he was sitting up again, just taking in the sight of the room, looking over L and B, looking similar but so different.  
Flashes of their kisses came back to him…he'd seen them kiss quite a few times the previous night, he'd also kissed L and Mello and he thought he remembered even kissing Matt at some point.

He felt a little cheap, but looking around at Mello, only underwear on and leaning on the railing, Matt pulling on his underwear and jeans, face pale and looking hung over just as badly, L rubbing his face and groaning while B was out like a light, he didn't need to feel cheap or shamed, because like Mello said, with them he didn't have to.

He felt L's knees shift and so he started moving to give the other room, crawling off the edge of the bed and touching his sticky upper body absently when he stood he glanced round the floor with clothes strewn everywhere for his shirt,  
"I cant see my shirt…" he whined quietly in a hoarse voice like Matt's had been, mouth thick and tasting disgusting.  
"You can shower and borrow something of mine…" he turned to find Mello tying his hair back from his face as he walked into the room again, he sounded surprisingly sober where Light was still wobbling on his cold feet.

"I'm first!" Beyond amazed Light by getting up quickly off the bed, "…I have to…work today…" he was saying as he got to his feet, pushing his wild hair out of his face as he moved toward the bathroom door and disappeared inside.

L sat up and was hunching forward, knees up, arms across the space and his head leaned against his bare forearms, hair sticking out every which way and he was quiet, maybe going back to sleep.  
"You Matt?" Mello's hands settled lazily on his bare hips.  
"I'll be sticking around…got nothing to do." he cleared his throat and buckled the belt on his low waist jeans.  
"Yeah…I got nothing too. L, baby?" Mello turned his sleepy slanted eyes at the other teen.

"…hm…I'll stay too." he mumbled and raised his head, eyes half lidded and face pale he glanced at Mello and Light who stood near one another, bobbing his eyebrows before smiling slightly and laying back down,  
"Tell Misa I'll buy her lunch for a week if she leaves me to sleep…" he bribed.  
Matt laughed,  
"Unfair…"  
"She's not gonna let him sleep…" Mello laughed evilly and looked at Light directly as they stood near one another.  
Light swallowed, wondering if he should feel awkward, but Mello didn't seem awkward,  
"You gonna stick around?" he asked with a smirk, ever confident while half naked or not.  
"Uh…what's the time…?" his voice was still scratching so he cleared his throat.

There was a moment were Mello sat on the bed and sighed, to gather himself and Matt found a cell phone among the clothes, Light's incidentally,  
"It's 11 am…and you have 17 missed calls and 13 text messages." Matt glanced at Light and tossed the phone over. It landed on the floor with a small clatter. The battery popping out and sending the back of the phone off into a corner, damn his messed up hand eye co-ordination, he hadn't been able to catch it and he frowned at that as he wobbled when leaning down to pick up the main piece of the cell phone.

"It'll pass…just go home and don't move for a few hours…until you can sleep again." Mello took the liberty of calming Light's lamed nerves.  
"Huh?" he looked concerned at Mello's words.  
Matt walked to the bathroom and pushed the door open, the shower running sound filled the room slightly and Matt was heard asking if B had cigarette's.

Mello didn't answer Light and instead agreed he needed a cigarette before he stood again,  
"Take a shower and Misa or B will drive you home…I cant fucking drive right now, my ass hurts and I'm not sober enough." he explained nonchalantly as he watched Matt come out of the bathroom with a half pack full of smokes, probably from B's jeans.  
Light was nodding and then he blanched and his breath caught…Matt had said it was 11 am?

Delayed much.

"Holy shit no!" Light shouted and was promptly hit with a pillow in the face, due to his lack of balance, Mello caught him from falling and L, who had been unappreciative of Light's shouting, lay back down to sleep again.

"What is it man?" Matt was laughing a bit while glancing at L and then Light, cigarette lit between his lips as he sat down on the bed near L.  
"I left the house just after 8 pm last night…I'm fucking dead…I didn't return home…" it hurt to speak…hurt to think and hurt way worse to panic, he was still congested and couldn't breath enough to hyperventilate which made his lack of oxygen worse.  
"Woah…Light…calm down…" Mello held his shoulders and sat him on the bed, taking the cigarette Matt held out, he took a long drag before taking Light's hand to give him the cigarette,  
"Trust me…it'll calm your nerves…" he mumbled.

Light felt so stressed out and shaky from his bodies over exertion without rest and the fear of returning home that he took the cigarette and indulged himself with a long inhale from it, barely coughing. He took another two before he sighed out the last of the smoke and closed his eyes.

Beyond came out of the shower with a towel around his waist getting their attention, he was carrying the jeans from the night before in his hands and he started to pull them up under the towel,  
"I need to get home and change…" he mumbled, Mello watching him dress and smoking lazily as he stood before Light, who was frowning in worry.

Yet still…he was feeling too numb to throw a panic tantrum so he sat…quietly.

"You gonna be late or can you take Light home B?"  
Beyond ran the towel through his damp straight black hair and it was left ruffled and spiked around his head when he removed it and tossed it on Mello's bed, he glanced at Light before opening Mello's closet and looking for a shirt,  
"Uh…I can take him. But he cant shower or nothing, I'm already late."  
Light felt like a burden and he ran a hand over his sticky face.

"You sure you cant just hang around a while, let me get some coffee and food in my system and I'll drive you…?" Matt was saying.  
Light blinked and cleared his throat,  
"I could get a cab you guys…" he stood up, "…its fine." he sniffed and was again brought to the realization he was shirtless when he looked down at himself.

"You need to get a fucking license and a car…no kid your age in America doesn't have a ride…" Beyond was saying as he pulled a black shirt of Mello's over his head, it was a little tighter on him but it looked like it was meant to look that way on B's wiry build.  
"Nothing I can fucking do about that now…" he mumbled back and B nodded in agreement,  
"Well hurry up and I'll take you."  
"Misa can fucking take him…bitch deserves it for waking me up to pimp my sexy ass." he grinned and Matt smiled, leaning over on the bed toward Light and kissing the side of his shoulder,  
"Stop stressing Light…your parents can yell and whatever, but they cant really do anything else." he encouraged in his own way and Light lazily rolled his eyes.

Light didn't care too much right then, he just knew he had to clean himself and get home…to sleep.  
Mello smiled at him,  
"…go take a shower. I'll go tell Misa she's your ride."  
"Please…" Light managed a lopsided smile, "…don't use those words. I don't need to be sexually assaulted by your sister on the way home."

It earned him laughs from everyone except L…who was fast asleep.

* * *

**12: 03 pm**

He couldn't believe how disgusting he'd looked, he'd only glanced at himself in the mirror after showering and rinsing his mouth out with mouth wash -having not had a tooth brush- several times, but it was enough to note his appearance was terrible.  
He skin was gray and his eyes bloodshot since he hadn't slept, his eyes were darkened and his pupils seemed slightly dilated and glossy, regardless of his shower, he hair just seemed more limp than usual and his skin burned yet his hands and neck refused to stop feeling clammy, his mouth still felt dry and throat felt sore.

Though…he wasn't upset about all that. He just wanted to sleep and wake up without sandy eyes and nausea.

Goodbyes were strangely comfortable and amicable when he'd left Mello's, but that may have been because Light was too out of it to be awkward.  
Misa was surprisingly composed during the drive, mostly talking on her cell phone to someone which usually Light would have had something to say about since it was dangerous but all he did was rest back against her smooth car interior, enjoying the AC and the smooth hum of the car while they drove, tuning out her high pitched conversation and giggling noises.

He let her take him right to his house because he was too fucked up to walk up the street, he felt as if he'd lost his self consciousness for the moment, even when Misa leaned over and kissed his cheek like some girlfriend dropping off, he just accepted it and said bye congenially.

The sun was hot and he felt so ill, wearing Mello's well fitting shirt and jeans, Light simply strolled up the drive way to the house. There was some song stuck in his head, he didn't know what fucking song it was but it was there along with Misa's echoing giggles in his pained head.

He opened the front door with a groan and walked inside, barely stepping out of his shoes before walking through the lounge and toward the kitchen, the bottle of water he'd finished before leaving Mello's place seemed like it had never happened, he needed liquids, some sensible part of his brain telling him to hydrate.

Light didn't make it to the fridge…as he stepped into the kitchen both Sachiko and Soichiro sat at the table, their worried- and angry- eyes turning to him as he became rigid and held his breath in the doorway, hazel eyes widening a tad.

'Right…I was worried about my parents…how did I forget they'd be here again?' he thought with an inward grimace.

He'd never seen his parents look so…parent like…ever before.


	15. Brainstew

**Chapter 15**

* * *

"Light, sit down." Soichiro's deep father like voice came out low and almost…disappointed? It wasn't like Light would know what that sounded like since it had never yet been directed at him, until now since that's uneasy tone sounded like disappointment.  
He nearly declined and rolled his eyes, fully prepared to state that he'd prefer to stand but then he thought better of it, he was in bad shape here, he looked like shit, he smelled like the alcohol he was sweating and he hadn't come home the night before, now was not the time to be facetious or dismissive of his parents…for the first time ever Light needed to take them seriously.

'Take the situation seriously.' He started planning, his number one aim was to keep the idea of drugs out of their heads, and he was prepared to take a scolding on having gotten drunk if it meant they wouldn't know the full truth. Teenagers made mistakes so he could live that sort of pathetic demeaning talk they'd have with him down, but drugs…no, Light had to keep that to himself at all costs because even he knew that it was too low for fake Light to stoop.

Not the real Light though, not the one who wanted to feel things.

Moving forward toward the table, he pulled a chair out and it scraped annoyingly on the tile grating into his headache, but he hid his wince and settled into the seat, he wanted to sit posture perfect but couldn't muster the energy so he leaned his elbows on the table to make his slouching seem less…like it was there.

His parents stared at him, Sachiko with the classic angry-sad mother look, the 'I was worried, how could you stay out all night and disobey rules like that' look. Confused, if you asked Light…either he was wrong or they were overprotective, not both, not right then, he didn't think he could handle another coddling episode like the one he'd endured in the week from his mother.  
His father looked decidedly upset though, thick eyebrows set in a frown and arms folded across his chest, Light tried to open his eyes to their 'I'm a well groomed innocent teen' look he'd mastered, but with red veins and dark skin around his hazel brown eyes, he just looked like a paranoid junkie.

"Light, Light…you didn't come home, where were you? How could you stay out like that without telling us? Without asking us or calling?" Sachiko's voice managed to get high pitched in a split second of saying Light's name the second time and he stared at her with his innocent –paranoid- look.  
"Watashi wa totemo shinpai shite ita. Anata wa mae ni kore o yatta koto ga nai!" (I was very worried, you've never done this before!) she went on in Japanese, her eyes starting to scrunch because she was going to start crying.

Like this was some serious offense and he'd spent the night in jail or something?

'Mothers.' Light had a moment where he huffed very silently at his mother so she didn't notice.  
"Sachiko…ochitsuke."(Calm down.) His father nodded to her to calm her and she sniffed and wiped her nose with a tissue she had, she'd come prepared.  
Light wasn't stupid…duh. He knew this was more about disappointment than fear for his well being, their brilliant ray of Light had shown a little waywardness, he'd revealed a crack in the mould and now they were panicking because as it were, a lifetime of achievements and excellent behaviour could be forgotten when there was even one fault.

Human flaw was such that regardless of a perfect track record, one mistake could taint it forever. Light knew it was time to play the part, he was an excellent pretender, fake Light was second nature, or actually, until recently, it had been first nature,  
"Watashi wa mōshiwake arimasen. Watashi..." (I'm sorry, I…) Light started.  
"Doko ni imashita ka?" (Where were you?) His father cut him off, leaving Light with his mouth half open and frown on his usually pretty face that looked ashen after the previous night's events. His eyelids were glossy and hair limp and untidy, this was not first nature Light, not by a fucking long shot, but still…to be interrupted so rudely?

He took a quiet breath, sitting up a bit straighter and pushing his hair back from his burning eyes, Light tried to form a lie…he hadn't even had time to sleep and he was likely to walk into a wall if he wasn't careful in his dizzy state, but surely he could still lie.

"Uh…" he glanced between his parents, Sachiko stared watery eyed at him and Soichiro looked like he was biting down on something. He took a moment and bit his lip, letting the worried look onto his face, to show remorse and regret…that was step one. He then looked down at the table, step two, eyes downcast and be doleful to appear as if he's genuinely upset by his disgraceful behaviour, so much so that he couldn't look his parents in the eye. Then he had to lie!

'Fuck…okay…they know I was drinking, I think. Well its pretty obvious…so…' he sighed heavily and fidgeted a bit with the place mat on the table, playing it up as much as possible, not really sure how to go about announcing that he'd gotten pissed drunk, which he was willing to do, providing that he didn't have to start his explanation with that.

"Anata ga saigo no yoru o nonde ita?" (Were you drinking last night?) Sachiko came to the rescue with a question that Light could work with, he glanced up –nervously obviously- and then back to his hands and nodded subtly,  
"Hai watashi ga ita. Shikashi, sore wa gakkō kara no ikutsu ka no hoka no hitobito to oiwai suru kotodeshita." (Yes I was. But it was to celebrate with some other people from school.) Light kept his voice low and humble, he was going to be as mature as he supposed they expected, no tantrums or over reactions.  
He knew questions would come now, but he'd already thought of an idea…

The perfect thing to play on was the very thing that made them look at him with that disgusting disappointment, he hated that look, Light Yagami did not disappoint. So he was going to play on their pride in him, he was going to throw another achievement he had made right in with his slip up and if he did it with the right expression and maybe even played up his 'illness' that was already in their minds since moving here…he'd have their sympathy too.

"Iwau?" (Celebrate?) his father questioned.

'Gotcha…' Light smiled inwardly and on the outside he swallowed and looked at his father with a slight frown, hesitating to explain, he was the son, he had to be worried about getting into trouble.  
"Watashi wa kokka kentei shiken ni nyūryoku sa rete imasu." (I have been entered in the national examinations.) he paused for effect, "A test exam…if I pass I'll be short listed for the top 3 universities in Los Angeles. Watashi wa kōfun shite ita..." (I was excited...) he trailed off after explaining what a big deal this was in a short quieted breath, looking shameful when really it was a big deal since he would definitely get in, no questions asked. He waited for more prompting and dared a glance at his parents lessened frowns and raised eyebrows.

'Works like magic…' he thought triumphantly.

"That's…wonderful, Light." His mother caved with a bright smile.  
"Okāsan, arigatō." He thanked her, sticking to Japanese since he sounded younger and more polite in his natural language, especially when he was being so painfully fake it hurt his face to smile.  
"Yes, that is wonderful news…" his father added and Light nodded and mumbled a thank you.  
He was surprised that they seemed so quiet after that, both just staring at him with a slight contemplative look, after a moment it dawned on him that what he said really didn't explain much but now that he'd…started shining again, they didn't want to question.

Ah, how great it was to be Light Yagami, even with a pale face, nauseous stomach and a zit probably growing where it tingled on his forehead. He tried not to make a face at the idea of a little pimple marring his features and instead sat up again since he'd sort of slid down on his elbows in his exhaustion and prepared to explain his lie in a little better detail…

sigh…went to a friends house…parents weren't there…had some alcohol…no one could drive…stayed over…

It was a basic outline and it included some 'responsible' behaviour about no one wanting to drive to help his parents think he kept good company. He'd wanted to throw in the fact that he'd really like a car, but now just wasn't the time. Maybe once he cleared the exam…  
'Yes…that's an excellent plan…' he smirked evilly on the inside.

His father was nodding and his mother frowned,  
"But Light…anata wa, hidoi kao. Anata wa totemo nado byōki no kaoiro ga warui zo." (You look awful. You look pale and very sick.) She pointed out the fucking obvious and Light masked a grimace with a frown and nod.  
"Guai ga yoku arimasen." (I do not feel well.) he admitted and then rubbed his eyes a bit, "…I think I'm still not well, from the other day and drinking was not a good idea." He mumbled, "Kurikaeshimasuga, watashi wa watashi no kōdō ni  
mōshiwakenaku omotte iru.." (Again, I am sorry for my actions.) he bowed a little as he sat, being as very traditionally humble as was possible in his worsening state, his vision was a little blurry right then and his body was starting to feel heavier.

There was a silence and then Sachiko stood up,  
"I'll make you some tea Light…Soichiro?" she moved over to the electric kettle, filling it with some water before switching it on, his father had mumbled a 'yes please'. Light's stomach did a flip flop at the idea of tea but he just smiled as she set about making it.

His father sighed slightly and unfolded his arms, Light relaxed a little since that meant, or so he hoped, that the worst was over.  
"How long is it before this exam?" his father asked.  
Light almost frowned, he didn't have a clue,  
"I'm not sure…we still have to be informed." He hoped it sounded like he wasn't confused because he felt like he was.

His father was nodding again,  
"Now that we know about this exam I expect you to be home everyday directly after school, no going out or anything. It'll be a guarantee that you get into the best university…"

Light actually did feel insulted and nearly opened his mouth to tell his father that getting into a top university on a scholarship would be a piece of cake, screw the test exam…but his jaw was tight again and his eyes burned so he sat and tried not to glare. Some of his muscles were twitching in his fingers and Light just needed to get away from his parents and the smell of milk and tea so he could lie down.

"Hai, otōsan." Light nodded again and the cup of tea was placed in front of him, warm steam wafting up into his face.

He was agreeing to something he never would ordinarily, it was always Light who would choose to stay in doors when a big exam was coming up, he would choose to study hard and dedicate himself. Now his parents, after one incident –the extent of which they weren't even truly aware of – were telling what he could and could not do.

To him, being the brilliant academic DIY whiz kid, it was an incredible insult and Light would have to fight back…as soon as he stopped seeing 3 of his mother sitting next to him at the table.  
He placed his hands around the cup, his senses were dulled and the heat of the cup didn't seem too bad, even though his fair palms were turning red, Light didn't mind, his nerves needed to stop twitching and start working properly.  
He wasn't about to drink the tea though…he'd puke all over his parents and then he'd have to wear a paper bag over his head in shame around the house.

No, he wasn't being dramatic. He'd done it once when he was about 6, when he'd gotten sick and the neighbours had seen him vomiting, it was humiliating! Not the bag…the vomit. Well, at his current age, he could assume the bag would be more humiliating.

His mother was saying something about eating and his father was saying something about Light needing to start focussing, Light was focusing…on not throwing up because his mother was talking about roast beef.  
"Watashi wa yoko ni shitai to omoimasu. Anata wa watashi no īwakedeshou ka?" (I'd like to lie down, will you excuse me?) he had to get away from them right then, his mother was staring at him and had reached out to hold his bare forearm and the warmth of her hand on his cold skin was unpleasant since he felt like his flesh was prickling.

He was grateful they hadn't asked about the clothes he wore, but he supposed it was because a white shirt and blue jeans were non descript and they wouldn't know it wasn't his clothes until his mother washed it and saw the brand labels. Mello owned some expensive shit .Blue Levi jeans and a Tommy Hilfiger T-shirt, not Light's usual brands, were just some of the things he'd seen in the double closet and Mello didn't have a problem parting with the clothes either. They all had money though, he knew that. Not all of them dressed in genuine leather and sported Jeans that cost $800, but it was because they weren't quite as flashy as the blonde.

He could tell from Matt's different leather combat boots and sneakers, his home, car and little things like his cell phone, several different handheld gaming devices, i pod, jewellery…okay, Matt was kind of flashy.  
Beyond's hoodies were all expensive labels, his apartment was nice and he had a Ducati motorbike.  
Near lived in a massive house so that was a no brainer.  
L was not so easy to pin since Light was always too focused on L himself to look at his clothing labels, but he had taken note of an expensive Iron Fist hooded jacket L had worn at some point, and the different labelled sneakers he wore often. He had claimed to have a chauffeur and the car he drove was ridiculous for a 17 year old. L also smelled expensive…good though, Light liked it.

He envied them, they all lived and acted the way they did probably because they could afford to. He wasn't poor, not by a long shot and if he really wanted it, his parents would buy him something obscenely expensive once in a while, but Light hadn't been raised around that sort of thing so it didn't bother him and he didn't think he needed to be ridiculously rich to be friends with them either…although, he'd need a car so he could move around independently.

He'd have to learn how to drive too, shouldn't be too hard for him.

"Light?"  
He looked up suddenly from his distracting thoughts; his mind was always on them. His father was frowning,  
"I said its fine, you can go to your room."  
He nodded stiffly, a bit irked that he'd been so blatantly daydreaming.  
"I'll take this to my room…" he held the tea cup in his palms so he didn't spill any of the brown liquid, he didn't trust his balance right then as he stood and turned to walk out of the kitchen.

"Light-kun, how did you get home?" his mother asked.  
Light had almost been out…almost safe. He wondered if they'd seen Misa and were about to ask…  
"Was L, that young friend of yours and Sayu's a part of this group?" his father had to go there.

Light didn't over react and he turned around, unable to help the wobble he made and to his dismay some warm tea slipped over the rim of the cup but settled against the skin of his hand instead of spilling on to the floor so his parents didn't notice,  
"Uh, no…" he answered in a truthful way, he doubted L was elected to write the test exam so adding him to his lie was only half a lie, "L wasn't there and I got a ride with one of the…uh, my friends." He didn't know what to say about these imaginary people.

He was trying not to think that his parents had seen Misa and were about to catch him out and he kept a neutral expression.

"Ah…well, perhaps you should spend less time with these people and more with L. He doesn't seem the type to come under peer pressure too easily." Soichiro stated with raised eyebrows and sipped his tea.

Another insult from his father, whether the old man knew it or not.  
Light was tempted to stomp all over the perfect little image that his father had conjured up about L, but he'd be doing no good, only hindering himself really, after all, L being the good and bad guy was working for him. He liked being friends with them enough to look like he was losing his usually unwavering morals in front of his parents, so he'd let his father paint a pretty picture of L.

'Fuck me…this is going to get old fast…' he complained to himself before finally turning and leaving the kitchen.

But at least he wasn't caught out.

* * *

**Sunday**

Sunday was a day of misery as he was still suffering through the aftermath of not being able to sleep off his drunkenness, Light had managed to fall asleep around 1 am Sunday morning…well, passed out more like, in his computer chair where he'd been completing homework from Friday just to pass the time.

He'd fallen out of the chair at 7 am when his sister had banged on his door to let him know breakfast was ready.  
That had caused a rather annoyed mood and a bruise on his forehead…next to that zit he knew he'd have after binging like some indulgent delinquent, which he technically had been for 24 hours.

After half eating his eggs and bacon at the table like they did every Sunday morning, Light had run away and vomited –alone into the bathroom toilet- for a good 15 minutes, everything in his stomach deciding to vacate the area, leaving his throat burning and eyes watering.

By the early afternoon Light had cleaned himself up, showered and preened…alas he still looked like shit, as Sayu had so eloquently pointed out, right after asking if he had been out with L Friday night.

When he'd said no –wonderful little lies-…why had she looked relieved? That…had not made any sense.

By 5 pm Sunday afternoon Light had passed out again on the sofa, the TV was playing some wildlife show, his third empty bottle of water on the floor by the couch and a small bottle of pain killers on the coffee table, he'd surrendered to his exhaustion.

10 pm he was woken to go to his room, grateful to make it into his bed without the need to puke and to pass out again into a blissful deep sleep.

* * *

Monday was like Armageddon in Light's head.

Over slept and fatigued because of it, exhausted and feeling physically weak from not having eaten or kept anything down for 2 days, Light shoved his alarm clock off the bedside table and it fell to the floor, continuing to beep at him.  
'I guess that only works in the movies…' he groaned under his heap of blankets as his mind started to click awake.

He pushed himself up and swung his bare legs off the bed, before turning the clock on the floor over with a bare foot and stomping on the 'off' button a bit harder than necessary. He glanced around his slightly dark room as he ruffled his silky locks with a sigh, it was 5:30 am.

Text books and papers were scattered on his desk and some on the floor, a jacket hung off the back of the computer chair, some clothing –Mello's and one of his school pants from the week – were in a pile near the book case next to a pair of worn socks, one of his three pillows were on the floor at the foot of the bed…how had his living area become so…much like a teenager? He actually didn't care.

The condition of his bedroom over all didn't bother him, he was just pleased that his nasal passage was clear and he could breath, his nausea was gone and even though his head only hurt like a bitch, life was good.  
He leaned down and picked the clock up, seeing that he had an hour and a half before school, Light decided he was going to start the week well.

* * *

He ate a big bowl of cereal with a glass of orange juice and a slice of buttered toast for breakfast.  
He showered and freshened up to his best.  
He wore a newly washed and pressed uniform hung in his closet for school.  
He shined his shoes and styled his hair to its soft flawless look.

He looked in the mirror and was…half way happy with his appearance. His complexion wasn't glowing, it was a dull color and his eyes were a tad puffy, slightly darkened still around his eyes, his lips looked chapped and grey and his shoulders weren't as square as usual.

He kind of looked like L had looked the first day he saw him, not bad but not at his best?  
Completely forgetting about his unsatisfying reflection, which would cause mass suicide among his fan girls in Japan, Light let his mind wonder to L as he left his bedroom after pulling on his blazer.

Was that L's look? Did he just look that way naturally? Matt looked similar and so did Beyond, Near always looked miffed or bored but never unhealthy and Mello was always picture perfect, in public. He'd seen Mello spun out now so he was so much more human in Light's opinion, he'd seen Mello when he wasn't glowing. They all were so real and so in touch with themselves…touch being very literal in a lot of ways.  
He smirked to himself stupidly as he walked down the stairs in his black socks and full uniform, he saw Sayu enter the entrance hall at the bottom and she looked up at him,  
"Morning Light." She didn't sound too happy and he didn't care.  
"Morning Sayu." He responded and started to step into his shoes once he was in the small entrance, she was doing the same, pulling the thin strap of her shoes over and clipping them in.

Her skirt looked shorter.

Girls liked short skirts back in Japan, but his father had never allowed Sayu anything above the top of her knees…this was quite a bit higher than that. Light chose to stay quiet…

What? The girl has blackmail material!

Staying on Sayu's good side meant having an alibi should he need one.  
"Ja ne, Light-kun." She went on her way after slinging her bag over her shoulder and Light stopped the door before it closed, she was already running down the path, he watched her for a moment until she was far down the road, going to the friend whose mother drove them to school…passed Kiyomi's house.

He picked his bag up and sighed before going back into the house, his mother was in the kitchen reading a book with a cup of coffee,  
"Bye mom…" he grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl on the counter, receiving a smile from his mother, Light rolled his eyes and left the house.

* * *

While Physics was very entertaining and all that junk, Light spent the entire 4th period with his mind else where while scribbling his signature over and over on a piece of paper from a writing pad, occasionally drawing a smiley or angry face or a fancy L, which he turned into a Light after realising he'd written L's…name? Initial?

'Note to self…ask L his full name…' he raised his eyebrows to his mental note and drew untidy circles, coloring them in out of boredom as his mind went between L and homosexuality.

Those were symptoms of a school girl crush.  
Distracted, daydreaming, scribbling and thinking of a boy…

'Arg…' he frowned to himself and sighed, glancing at the teacher writing stuff all over the black board. Light gave it a once over and affirmed that he still knew what was going on before laying down on the desk resting his forehead on his forearms. The girl next to him was texting under the desk and giggling to herself in that way that girls do sooooo annoyingly, he just ignored her.

He was no longer confused, Light knew he was either bisexual or homosexual, he'd only be able to confirm this if he attempted to sleep with a girl again and managed to get it up…or not. Although he didn't think he'd have a problem, erections were easy to come by…in the past, when fantasising for his general needs in his alone time. And with girls it hadn't been a problem either, he was easily attracted to the female form.

But after doing that with Mello, having scrutinized it so thoroughly all morning in different classes, he seemed able to remember just about everything, he was fully aware of where his dick had been and where his mouth had been…and where Mello's and L's hands had been…and how they'd all been in a bed at the same time…naked and how absolutely good it had all felt.

He smiled to himself, it couldn't be seen since his head was down, but Light was pleased with the situation, he had been out of his element and despite being a little lost, he'd done okay, if he did say so himself. He wasn't going to ask.  
Still though, he knew he'd just scraped the surface. He remembered the bruises Mello had after having been in the bedroom with Matt and he sensed that L and B were the same, sex between all of their experienced selves was probably ten times as intense and Light found himself interested in knowing and experiencing.

Near, he didn't wanna think about him that way, the boy looked about as sexually driven as a rock. That was unfair though, Light barely knew him, which raised more questions…Near was still unknown. Big house, mother who had been absent during that party, age unknown.  
There were weird things about that kid, Light just knew it.

Speaking of weird things, he also knew that Teru Mikami had been following him all day, always somewhere in the halls he was in or popping up near Light's classes. And right then when he raised his head to look out the window beside him he saw the boy sitting on the grass two floors down below outside doing nothing, just sitting…it wasn't coincidence, he was certain he had a stalker.

'Yay…' he blinked lazily and glanced at the girl beside him still texting back and forth.  
He hadn't seen L that day so far and yet L had said he would be at school every day that week, Light didn't take him seriously though, but a part of him had wanted to see L. Yeah, he liked L quite a bit.  
But so did B and Mello, Matt and Near…it was a sharing situation.  
He wanted to know if they'd always been that way, had Mello and Matt never dated or whatever they'd call it, exclusively at some point?  
What about B and L?  
He doubted it though, the way it sounded…they'd always been this way.  
He didn't know what the point of him wondering about serious relationships was…the very idea of having a 'boyfriend' caused an urge in himself to jump out of a window.  
He really wasn't quite ready enough to be labelling himself…but that was exactly the way L and Mello saw things, so he figured he understood it better now, labels were unnecessary, just be…whoever you are.

When the bell went off Light blinked out of his thoughts to see everyone getting up automatically to rush through the door.

* * *

**Wednesday**

"I enjoy all of my classes…the teachers are so lovely too." Kiyomi was sitting too close to Light in the cafeteria. She's also deciding that giving him a hug, however tentative it was, every morning was going to be a part of routine.

Light didn't like this routine, he'd barely kissed the girl and she was starting to think they were 'closer', this was always the thing Light hadn't liked about girls…clinginess.  
'Why can't she be like Misa…' he found himself thinking as he watched her sip from her bottle of water…through a straw.

It might have sounded like a horrible thing to wish but to Light it made sense.  
A few days ago he would have said he wished Misa could be more like Kiyomi, but that didn't work for him anymore.

Misa was clingy and completely batshit crazy, but at least he didn't have to take her seriously because she was like automatically ignorable as a valid interest or subject. Misa expressed no desire to be doted on, not in any way other than her exaggerated squeal's for attention from himself and the others, right before she flitted away like a dying or…newly freed butterfly…with rabies, onto a new victim. She had the attention span of a fish, and seemed mostly interested in herself regardless of how much she clung to people. She was definitely easier to deal with than a serious girl…with serious long term wants and interests.

If for some horribly terrifying reason, Light ever slept with Misa, he was pretty sure she'd chalk it up to love and fireworks for all of ten seconds before someone new caught her eye and she went on her merry delirious way. She was really hot and could likely score any guy she wanted and she was so exceptionally aware of it she didn't bat an eyelash before flirting with any guy. In the car ride home the previous Saturday morning while on her cell phone, she'd mentioned at least ten different guy names and winked at two different guys in two different cars at two different red lights…she was conscious of herself and confident.  
And easy to tell to fuck off without thinking she would slit her wrists or tell everyone you had a small penis or had problems with pre mature ejaculation.

He snickered when he thought back to a kid in his class in Japan who had suffered a thing like that, girls could be very petty and cruel, but so could guys, so it was all relative.  
He just didn't want to make promises and share sweet 'innocent' kisses with Kiyomi when he was going to be exploring his homosexual side in great detail every other chance he got.  
Kiyomi was still blabbing along with the hum of other students, her pretty little mouth forming words he heard none of and all the while he smiled passively and chewed on bites of his lettuce ham and cheese sandwich he'd purchased.

If Kiyomi had noticed that Light had been looking like shit on Monday, she hadn't mentioned it and she hadn't said anything, except suspiciously asking Light if he hadn't been sleeping well for any reason, to which he answered that yes, he hadn't been sleeping well… why not agree with her? She shut up about it afterward which was the point of lying.

"Hi Light!"

Both he and Kiyomi turned to look across the cafeteria at Teru who was waving, the place was crowded and he was trying to come over through all the tables and people,  
"…ah…shit."  
Light turned to Kiyomi,  
"Excuse me?" he was surprised by her reaction.  
"Sorry…he's just…he nags me about you all the time. I think…I think he likes you, Light." She looked innocent enough in her statement, not offensive or disgusted.  
"You mean…likes…likes me?" he knew what she meant but wanted to clarify.  
"Yeah…like…he has a crush on you." She was blushing now.

Light smiled and shook his head dismissively, turning to see Teru was even closer, he didn't say anything and he noticed that Kiyomi wasn't too pleased with his lack of comment. Hm, Sayu and Kiyomi having strange reactions…interesting?

* * *

**Thursday**

Light waved with little effort at Coach Matsuda as he walked away quickly, needing to get away from the overly bubbly man quickly. He hadn't had to 'pat' Light's back 4 times to make a point about being happy Light made the soccer team, seriously…4 god dammed times? That was 4 times more contact than Light needed from the guy…in his life time.

He was just lucky Ms Kenwood, or Weddy as Matsuda referred to her, had walked by right then and her slightly swaying slim body had turned Matsuda to mush so Light could say goodbye and run away before it got worse and the guy tried to express feelings of love and adoration for her…to him.  
He didn't understand people, he had a crush…

'Kill me now…'

…but you didn't see him gushing and drooling and declaring his feelings, Weddy had actually looked confused by Matsuda's stare though. Maybe he did hide it well where it counted and just gushed when she wasn't around, Light didn't know, he just didn't want to be involved.

He slowed down when Matsuda was out of sight and stared at the ground as he walked across the grass field toward the front of the school exit. It was about 02:45 pm, the sky was slightly clouded and the air was warm so the walk home wouldn't be too bad, he was walking the long way around the school grounds hoping to spot L but no such luck, he hadn't made an appearance so far that week and he hadn't heard anything from any of them either.  
As he walked by the parking lot to the Main block of the school, Light glanced at the cars and then spotted the headmaster busy at his car and he spotted Light at the same time through the large trees.

"Light…" he called and waved for Light to come over.  
"Are you kidding me…" he mumbled to himself and turned toward the car park, walking over the grass and under the perfectly kept trees to step onto the well laid brick drive path.  
He watched the headmaster lifting arm size boxes, about 6 one after the other into the booth and when Light was close enough he saw more boxes on the back seat of the car and inside them he saw History text books.

"Yes?" he was not gonna say sir, he'd stick a knife through his tongue first.  
The man glanced at him, heaving a bit at the light lifting he was doing, he lifted the final box and Light made no move to help, as if he would…some people didn't deserve the overly polite Light Yagami.  
When he placed the last one in, he shut the booth and turned his attention to Light as he leaned against the back of the car. Light was chilled with his hands in his pockets, bag across his shoulder and stance casual, hair shifting lightly with the wind, face looking healthier with a week passed of sleeping and eating well, he was almost picture perfect again.

"Ah, yes…I was wondering if you were aware that your going to be taking the national test exam in about a month, before the first school exams." He was neatening his suit.  
"I knew I was going to be taking the test, I just didn't know when." He said honestly.  
"Well, now you know." The older man said and Light twitched just barely.

'No shit fuck head…' he thought while smiling pleasantly but barely at the man.

"It's a great thing you know…taking that exam and passing. You're interested in University I'm sure?" he straightened his glasses and folded his arms across his chest. He was tall and thin with a moustache and short brown hair brushed back and brown eyes, boring looking.  
"I also know that if I pass I get short listed to one of the top three schools." He said before he could be 'informed' again. "And I am interested in University, I intend to get a scholarship." He admitted, since he was sure his mother expressed as much in the 'my sons the families pride and joy' speech during enrolment screening.  
"Excellent, so your probably aiming for Harvard then?" he asked with an old person smile.

Light raised a fine eyebrow,  
"I expect to get into Harvard, yes." He didn't hesitate, feeling a little less intimidated by his new surroundings and speaking to the smug man with confidence.  
"You most certainly will…" the man agreed and nodded and Light nearly laughed at that but stopped himself at a slightly expectant expression.

"You look surprised that I'd say that. I'm no fool Light Yagami, I have seen your grades and I am aware of what you're capable of. Did you know that when your parents first came forward to enrol you, I told them you could attend a fully private institution of Ivy League standard easily with a reference from some people I could get in touch with, they declined." He thought he was telling Light something new but not really.  
"I did know that, I told them I'd rather go to a semi private school if they insisted on expensive education. I can excel here the same way I could in a school that could make my parents bankrupt." To hell with being polite, Light was going to be honest, all that money and for what?

So their kids could screw around? Get high on expensive drugs and generally waste the education offered to them but still get jobs because of references? Nah, Light was good right where he was.  
"I see…you're quite the young man Light. Your parents are right to speak so highly of you."  
"I like to think I'm just sensible." He lied, he loved being spoken highly off. But seeing the mans smug know it all look falter was more fun than the reaction he'd get by flicking his hair back, winking and saying 'you know it'.

Light cracked a smile but smothered it before it was noticed.  
After a pause and before Light could bid the boring old man farewell and leave, he spoke up again,  
"I would like you to accompany me…"  
Light frowned a bit,  
"Accompany you to where?"  
"I'm on my way to take these History books to the founder of this school…he is also the founder of several other schools, including the private schools I recommended to your parents."  
"May I ask why?" Light was truly curious.  
"Oh, the books must be sent back. He's not satisfied with their content…"  
"I meant why I must accompany you?" he specified with a dead pan expression

The man smiled,  
"How would you like to go to the University of Cambridge, Light Yagami?"  
Light blinked several times and shifted his bag on his shoulder,  
"The University of Cambridge…you mean to study abroad?" he was curious, that was way out of his budget and even with his grades, getting in there was hard, the waiting list was like waiting to die…everyone was on that list.  
He nodded in confirmation, the smug look was back and Light didn't let it bother him,  
"That would be incredible…I'd love that. But realistically I don't see it happening."  
The man sighed and tipped his head,  
"That's true, it's all about who you know…although with your abilities, I'm certain they'd bump you up the list above a few rich men's spoiled brats with straight A grades."  
Pointless conversation, what was this man's point?

"Uh, well, I can't depend on that when I'm guaranteed to make Harvard." He turned to leave.  
"But Light…what if I could get you a guarantee on Cambridge?"  
'What's this assholes game?' Light looked back.  
"How might you do that?" he smiled all too nicely, eyes sharp and expectant.

He could run some one over with the new car he was definitely going to get and his parents would still let him off the hook if he made Cambridge.  
The headmaster glanced at the main building to the school,  
"The man who owns this school, I know him well, he has personal investments in all of the major Academic Institutions in the United Kingdom and surrounding areas. He actually has a connection to most well known institutions, some none academic, in the main countries of the world, everything from the medical field to the social field. He's a very powerful man…and he prides himself on his intelligence. Children like you are hard to come by, young genii...and he invests in people like you."

Light had never been called a genius, he'd heard some other kid who attended the school referred to as such by stupid Matsuda so he hadn't taken it seriously, but maybe…there was something to this stuff.  
Light hoped this man wasn't a pervert who liked young genii for other reasons before he gave them a bright academic future…yeah, he figured he was being paranoid.  
"It sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime." Light said honestly.  
"Excellent…" he beamed, "…I've told him about you and his had a look at your records. I think he'll be pleased to meet you since he's already said that depending on your accomplishments this year, you're practically a shoe in, so while he's in the country for the next two weeks you should meet him, so rather sooner than too late…will you accompany me then?" he walked round to the drivers side.

Light wanted to go…he wanted to meet this man who could get him out of America, to travel and study in such a place.  
But he was…technically, grounded.  
"I can't…my parents have given me strict instruction to be home straight after school, to study for the test exam." He said honestly.  
The man raised his eyebrows,  
"Shall I speak with them? Certainly this is of equal importance…of course if you'd rather another day then its fine."  
Light nodded.

The head master got into his car and started it and Light frowned, he couldn't just let this go, if the man was as powerful as he claimed, he might not get another chance to see him because people like that always had things to do.  
As the car pulled out Light tapped the window and it slid down, he leaned over,  
"I'd like to come with you…would you contact my parents?"

* * *

It was about a half hour drive after the highway, far away from the main city and off down the coast, up a few hills where everything smelled fresh and the grass grew brightly green, the ocean was seen in the distance since there were no buildings to obscure the sight.  
It was really something.

Light watched everything as they passed, driving passed just houses and gardens for a while, the houses were huge and some hidden by high walls, others displayed in all of the two story and eight bedroom glory. The houses passed until the road narrowed and they stopped at a dead end in front of two large black gates, beyond the gates it was just a clean dark brick driveway and gardens lining it as well, the peaks of the house were visible above some high trees.

This was a mansion.

Well, Light thought it looked like one, twice the size of Near's house definitely.  
The intercom beeped when the headmaster rolled his window down and pressed a button on the touch screen, he heard an old man's voice,  
"Who is it?"  
"Roger, its Andreas Golias…" the headmaster said with a small smile toward the intercom, a little green light was flashing.  
'Rich people…' Light thought with a silent sigh, wondering what was wrong with a regular static sounding intercom that didn't have a little camera and password touch screen pad built into it, Light even wondered why no one had stolen the thing?

But then again considering where this place was located, there was probably high profile security watch…ah, rich people.

The old man on the intercom said a happy 'Oh yes, just a moment.' And the large very heavy gates made a sound as they started automatically swinging inward. The drive way was wide, big enough for two cars to pass each other at a slow speed, which Light noticed because as they proceeded along the drive way a slick dark green Porsche was coming toward them from the front of the massive house at a relatively high speed.

It slowed down once it was too close and the woman driving wore sunglasses, she had long black hair and a white tight shirt on. She glanced at them and waved a hand out of her window at Mr Golias who waved back as they passed each other. Light deduced that his headmaster had downplayed how well he knew this Mr all powerful, since he was awfully familiar with everything. He parked just outside of the driveway along the gardens and switched the car off.

He was getting out when Light opened his mouth,  
"Should I grab some boxes?" he'd help now since it was for his own good in the end.  
"Oh that's alright…someone will get it." he said casually as he closed his door and Light noticed how he was less uptight all of a sudden, he definitely knew this man better than he let on.

He got out of the Honda Accord that the principle drove in a sensible silver color, being a headmaster he had to appear humble and not too flashy, even if Light could tell this man was way too self involved.  
'Look whose talking…' Light raised his eyebrows slightly at himself and shut the car door, starting to follow the taller man up across a large space with white stone gravel crushing under his shoes as they walked.

Surrounding the white gravel stones was well kept hedges half Light's height, bright green and healthy and at the very centre of the space was a large bushel of beautiful colored flowers, there were water jets spraying upward lightly from where they were hidden under the flowers within the circumference of the short white wall encasing it all.  
It was a stunning sight, welcoming…unlike some obtrusive statue or fountain they usually showed in movies would have been, he saw somewhere far passed the hedges was a man in a green over all tending to plants, a gardener, expected.  
There was another turn off to the driveway which Light assumed led to garages behind the large shadow casting building that was the house, three stories, Light knew this by the window levels.

It was a washed and dark brick color mixed, small gardens lined the front of the house and the front doors were large and white, like all the French window frames, it was a beautiful house, Light was keen to see inside, but he was keen to meet the man behind the house too.  
Before they reached the doors, they were opened and an old thin man with tiny round glasses and white hair on his head and above his thin mouth, stood with a smile,  
"Hello Andreas…" he said to the smiling principle and they shook hands,  
"Roger, wonderful to see you…it has been a while since I've come to visit."  
"Yes, indeed, we shall need to have a drink to catch up…" they laughed together the way old people do and Light stared at them with no actual expression.

He seriously doubted this Roger person was the all powerful guy that Golias had mentioned, he looked too frail, but someone with influence like that had to be old right? Just in case though, when the old man –Roger- turned his attention to Light, he extended a hand and bowed slightly in his traditional way,  
"Hello sir, my name is Light Yagami." He had to make a decent impression.  
The old wrinkled hand shook his and the man smiled,  
"Please, call me Roger. And do come in both of you…I'll send for refreshments." He walked in and Light walked in last, closing the one large door behind himself.

Following the pair now talking about whatever it was they were talking about, boring junk s'far as Light cared, he made sure they didn't notice him gaping at the stunning spacious cherry wood, white walled and wonderful smelling house with high ceilings and a modern chandelier in the entrance hall high above the large staircase.  
He was busy staring at paintings as they passed through a hall and into another room when he heard his name in the conversation in front of him and he kept his eyes averted but focussed his attention.

"-ight's one of those young prodigies that Quillsh is fond of, I've mentioned him before and when he saw this boys potential he immediately said he'd like to have him study abroad."  
"It would be quite the opportunity." Roger mentioned.

Light almost rolled his eyes when a short middle aged woman in a standard maid uniform came into the room and nodded a greeting at everyone then turned to Roger,  
"Sir, shall I bring our guests anything?" she had an English accent.  
"Please Erica, two whiskey single malts for myself and Andreas. For you Light…?"  
He knew that English and Western people did the first name basis thing normally, even if in his own culture it was considered to be forward or rude, but it only irritated him for a second before he smiled at her,  
"Water, please." It was all he'd been drinking since the weekend, needing to flush all of the alcohol out of his system.

She nodded and took her leave quietly, they were in a large room with many sofa's, about five that lined the centre of the room in different sizes. The walls all had large paintings and framed articles of things decorating. The sofas were a dark tan leather with a large low polished dark wood table between them all.  
'Talk about a sitting room…nothing else to do in here except sit.' He thought as he took a seat when Roger gestured for him to do so.

"I shall tell Quillsh to come and join us…" Roger walked across the room to a small black phone on a side table in the corner of the room, lifting it up and dialling one digit before he waited.  
Light recognised that name from somewhere, Quillsh…it was familiar, he just didn't know from where, it was no name he'd come across in Japan, it was an odd name, distinctly European, English he supposed considering Roger's British accent and the maid being English, that and the fact that everything about the house was so English, the décor was obvious.

"Andreas is here…yes he's brought the books and a young man to meet you…alright, see you shortly." He smiled and hung up, shuffling back over in his formal white shirt and dark grey pants, sitting beside Andreas again,  
"He'll be with us shortly, he's up in his study probably working, never stops that one…" he laughed and Andreas seemed to agree,  
"Yes, he never does stop. It's ridiculous…" he too chuckled.

Light wanted to stab himself.

He sat up straight though, not about to slouch when the man could enter at any time, he'd left his bag in the car so he wasn't awkwardly weighed down on one side, he would stand as tall as necessary when meeting this guy in case he was super tall or something…he wanted to go to the UK damn it.

After sitting there for about 5 minutes he noticed music coming faintly from somewhere, it was the sort of music Mello listened to so he recognised it somewhat, he glanced around and settled his eyes on the doorway when the maid came back with a tray, balancing two tumblers with a brown liquid in them and a bottle of chilled water.

Light took the water with a polite smile and a thank you…and then he looked at it. He stared at the glass bottle that obviously held water, though it was not of the regular plastic bottled water in his home, he opened the cap, sipping from it and then looking at the label. It said Veen, he didn't even know what that was, but it tasted fine so he shrugged inwardly and took another sip, not interested in assessing the label.

Half way through the bottle and with his attention span dwindling, an old man entered the room with a smile on his face.  
He was unlike Roger though, he was taller with excellent posture and he was decked out in a black suit, white shirt and a neatly knotted black tie. He had silver and well kept hair brushed neatly back from his face and a moustache just the same silver color, he wore frameless spectacles on his large slightly pointed nose, he was almost…intimidating if not for the friendly smile and softness of his grey wrinkly eyes.

Andreas and Roger stood up so Light did as well, screwing the cap back on the bottle subtly as he did so and placing it on the table on a coaster the maid had set down.  
"Quillsh, good to see you old man!" Andreas said and the shook hands, patting backs,  
"It's been months, hasn't it?" Quillsh had a scratchy deep voice, but still friendly and his accent was sophisticated English.

They shared some other words before they all turned to Light who offered his best 'I'm a polite shy incredibly perfect human being' smile and he received an almost affectionate gaze from the old man, Quillsh, which didn't bother him all that much, it was almost prideful.  
"Ah, Light Yagami…I've read up quite a lot on you. What a boy, what a mind…" he came over and Light noticed the man was a bit taller than him so he straightened a bit more and smiled.

"Thank you, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you." He hadn't caught the last name so he didn't say one.  
"Quillsh Wammy." He introduced himself and Light shook hands with him.  
"Mr Wammy." He added, not able to help his slight accent tainting the name, he hated it when English words didn't agree with his Japanese dialect, he'd have to practice the name at home.  
"Your English is excellent, how long have you been in America?" as if to dismiss Light's unvoiced self disapproval he complimented Light.  
"Not very long, only about 2 months actually…" saying it aloud shocked Light a bit inwardly, had it really been such a short time that he'd been there?  
"Then that's even more impressive isn't it?" he placed a hand on Light's shoulder and directed him to a two seat couch, Light sat down in it and Quillsh sat in the single chair were Light had been sitting and the brunette overlooked it.

"I started learning when I was still in Japan, I'm a bit of a perfectionist so I wanted to have the language mastered."  
"Intelligent, determined, well groomed and organized. I doubt I'll regret helping you further your studies abroad." He said very blatantly, Light wanted to squeal like a little girl, he'd barely done anything and he was practically in!  
Well…if this guy was as awesomely hooked up as Golias claimed…Light believed it though, he just did, something about this man just told him 'He's got the power'.  
"I would not let you regret it, Mr Wammy." He said with equal confidence and received a good natured smile and nod.

There was a pause and then Quillsh ran his fingers over his moustache, leaning back with his legs crossed but still well postured,  
"I think I'll have some tea…and then Light my boy, we'll discuss expectations."  
Light didn't know why but a ball of nerves dropped into his guts and he swallowed slowly, he didn't know why he was nervous, he was Cambridge material and he could make it in without breaking a sweat if it were based on grades alone, but still he had to impress and so he put his nerves aside. It was time to dig into fake Light's abundance of polite smiles and agreeable conversation.

"Will you be having tea?" Quillsh asked after Roger left to fetch the maid.  
"Yes, please." Light smiled.

* * *

After a conversation between mostly just himself and Quillsh that lasted well over 2 hours, in which Light received most of the questions and had answered about things as far back as when he had first won a race in his kiddie days and how that achievement made him feel, he was annoyed and tired and he felt like the man had tried to take his brain out and categorize it.  
He assumed he'd been analysed and dissected for a reason, for this man to make a fair evaluation about whether Light could handle…true success, was what he'd called it in the beginning of the conversation.

He'd said all of the very most impressive and appropriate things, praising his loving family which was to be expected from a sheltered well groomed child, praising the education system in Japan and how much he respected his culture. Blah blah blah.  
He was an expert liar, like he was an expert actor yet still, the old grey eyes stared through him as if he could see Light's indiscretions. From when he'd flushed his sisters gold fish for revenge on her for tearing pages out of his favourite book when he was 10 up until when he'd had homosexual sex just that weekend…but Light knew that was impossible that this man could see the real Light underneath his perfected façade…it still creeped him out though.

In the end after several cups of tea, cakes and biscuits had been passed around Light was spent and officially put off short bread. Roger and Andreas had even left to go have another drink some time ago, becoming bored by the conversation spanning sciences to history theories and questions. He could admit it had been enjoyable but not when it was a Q and A directed at him, he'd prefer if it had been a discussion on equal grounds, but perhaps another time. Like after he graduated with everybody under his feet where they belonged, in just about 8 months and he will have secured his ticket to Cambridge…

He sighed quietly.

He'd also had to listen to everything expected of him, Quillsh seemed to insist on Light have a physical education as well, at least three different sports, he also wanted Light to partake in debate groups and music classes and many other things…the list was painful mostly because Light didn't give a shitting shit about a lot of the things mentioned. Especially debate groups, people were too stupid to debate with as far as he was concerned.

"You're a remarkable young man…" he was nodding at Light and looking almost sad, it was strange, like he'd lost something.  
"Thank you again Mr Wammy, I feel honoured to have met you and to gain your approval."  
"So then, I expect you'll be applying my conditions because as soon as I see your first term results I'm going to start to build your standard recommendation portfolio, it's a formality, but I'd like it to sing to the university board members." He was making some sort of a joke and Light obliged by laughing appropriately.  
"Yes of course, I intend to."

Roger and Andreas returned then, both looking a little round the nose, Light wondered if the head master felt ashamed for behaving so stupidly around him, the man was obviously getting drunk. He sighed to himself and stood when Quillsh did,  
"I see you two old chaps are being rather indulgent." He smiled at them.  
"Well…we've lots to talk about and whiskey helps to recall…" Roger waved Quillsh over, "…come and have a drink with us Quillsh old boy, just one."

He glanced at Light and then at the principle,  
"Andreas, aren't you responsible for young Mr Yagami here, you brought him with you?" he enquired, never letting the friendly smile fade.  
"Ah yes, I'll call your parents right away and tell them I'll be bringing you home a bit later…they'll understand if your meeting ran a bit long."  
Light wanted to throttle the man!  
He, a teenager, was expected to be so reliable and responsible all the time when the man who ran a school and was supposed to be a role model was going to get tipsy and then drive him home and slur to his parents that it had been a business meeting?

"I think it might be better if I just took a cab home Mr Golias, I don't want to interrupt your…reunion." His polite façade faltered just barely and he knew…he just knew, that Quillsh noticed, those grey eyes taking his slight eye twitch into consideration and committing it to memory. He really wanted to leave now.  
"No, no…I won't have another. Give me an hour and I'll be fine to drive Light, I wouldn't want to upset your parents when you're faced with such an excellent prospect and need all the extra time you can get. Quillsh will drive you to your limit boy, he will push you until you realise your capable of even more than you thought and have to dig deeper an-"

"Oh be quiet…you'll make him think I'm some sort of slave driver." Quillsh dismissed the blabbering man with a wave of his hand and turned to Light who was staring at the head master hoping his head would pop off.

"Light, if Andreas has not properly gathered his faculties by…" he looked at his expensive watch on his old wrist, "…6:30, then I will have someone drive you home."  
Light nodded after a moment,  
"Alright." What else could he do? He came with the head master, best thing to do was arrive at home with him or some other adult.

Because adults were responsible for children. Pft.

"In the mean time, please look around, the house is large but I don't think you'll get lost. There's a billiards room, though it's hardly used and the gardens are massive…" Roger was saying with some hand gestures.  
"Yes, I think I'll do my homework in the gardens." He smiled and patted himself for his perfect Light like display, nods of approval from all present parties, yes please.

"Very well, its 5:30 now, come back to the house close to time and we'll get you home." Quillsh patted his shoulder once lightly and Light nodded and then before the older man walked away he piped up,  
"Could you please tell me where I can find a toilet?" he'd had half a bottle of water and 2 cups of tea and hadn't relieved himself since lunch at school, it was necessary.  
Quillsh looked back and nodded,  
"Of course, you could use the one through the front hall passed the arch beside the stairs, but if you'd prefer a less used guest toilet, on the first floor there's another down the left corridor, the third door." He smiled almost knowingly and Light was grateful, a less used toilet was better, cleaner.

"Thank you." He turned and walked toward the exit of the large sitting room, entering the large entrance hall where the centralised wide dark wood staircase led up to the first floor. He walked up and turned left and found the toilet…which was about as big as his family bathroom if not bigger, and he relieved himself. He washing his hands with the floral smelling hand wash and then neatened his hair and clothes in the large framed mirror on the white wall before he left the bathroom.

He walked back to the stairs, ready to return to the car and fetch his bag to do his homework in the gardens, like he said, since he had nothing else to do. But before he could go down, he heard the music again, louder now that he was higher up, it was coming from a floor above. He glanced down the stairs to the empty entrance hall and decided it wouldn't' hurt to go up, Roger had told him to have a look around.  
He walked up the stairs and found himself on a level that looked identical to the one below except there were less doors in the two oppsite halls and he could hear the music blaring from down the hall to his right.

He walked along the passage and listened to the lyrics as he approached the room.

-broken heart attack…you should swallow your teeth and hang out and stay for awhile…if your hearts still beating it must be the blood – if your lungs are still working it must be the mud-

He raised his eyebrows as the male voice went on to sing louder, probably a chorus.  
He stopped at the closed door and listened.

-..kind of funny how I'm not listening anyway- there was a deranged laughing in the song and then the vocals started again. -…lights out I cant stand to hear you scream –when we were making love I was fast asleep- and the night shine better give something up…- the vocalist started screaming as the guitars blared.

Light couldn't hear anything beside the music and the deranged laughter started again followed by screaming and then intense whispering to singing to screaming…interesting music. Light doubted he'd ever get caught up in it though, he didn't really have a taste for music in general.

Deciding he'd wasted 5 minutes of his precious life, he walked back to the stairs, it was probably a teenager in there, but he wasn't interested in making friends, he was there on business. Once he got back downstairs he headed straight out the front door, the sun was setting and the air was so fresh, a cool breeze ran over his flesh and he smiled, he liked it there, it was peaceful.

He decided to take a walk before homework, it would take him 20 minutes tops anyway to finish. He walked along the house and around the corner, passing the garages as he assume, far down in the yard he could have sworn he saw stables, but he was probably dreaming, the property was huge though, this place was an estate or mansion judging by its land size. As he rounded the house he came to a massive pool and deck., it was stunning and the water was so shiny it made him thirsty…he glanced down at the patio doors, two sets wide open, curtains drawn back and inside he saw a large hall and through the large hall, he spotted a kitchen counter.

"Veen water…" he mumbled to himself, the stuff was good regardless of how stupid it sounded to him.

He walked down the wooden steps onto the wooden deck and walked along the pool side, passing pool chairs and umbrella's until he reached the first of the large glass doors, he stepped inside and was greeted with silence so he walked through and through the arch doorway that led into a kitchen, bigger than the entire first floor of his house, black marble counters and wood finishes, metallic appliances…it was so…

Light frowned and paused at the large opened fridge door about three meters from where he stood, he glanced down and saw a pair of legs visible as the door hid the rest of the person. They belonged to a boy…they were boys legs, it was obvious.

He wore mid calf length striped black and red socks with no shoes and on his lower half were baggy shorts that hung just passed his knees, a checkered grey and black shorts, with a silver chain attached to the side and running into the back pocket, a wallet chain.

Light glanced up as the boy was stepping back and the fridge was bumped closed by the guys hip before grey eyes looked over and spotted Light.  
The brunette blinked slowly and stared, it was L… sexy, shirtless, untidy, lazy looking L with a plate of an almost complete strawberry cheese cake balanced on one hand and a soda can in the other.


	16. Coo Coo Ca Choo

**Chapter 16**

* * *

It all clicked into place when he saw L…where he knew Quillsh Wammy from, or at least the name. It had been the name on the grave site that 'fateful' day he'd followed L from school and been caught in the bushes. He wanted to narrow down the possibilities of who could be lying in that grave with regards to L, but right then, he felt irritated that L stood a few meters from him with his usual apathetic look.

He nearly asked L if he lived there but he caught himself before he asked such a stupid thing, considering L's position, caught at the fridge in a state of half undress, he definitely lived there.

"Please tell me your not stalking me Light, that gets old." he mumbled and walked over to the island counter, settling on a high stool after placing the cake plate and soda can down.  
"What? Nev-…" Light blinked before he finished his statement, "…it gets old? You've been stalked?" he raised and eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.  
"Hm…" L made the sound as he pulled open a drawer Light heard but didn't see and extracted two cake forks, "…it's not very glamorous." he held one cake fork out to Light as an offer.

Light was still processing the information when L held the fork out and he shook his head stiffly, even if the cake looked good and would remove the taste of sweet shortbread from his mouth, Light wasn't going to be seen eating off a plate of cake like some…well, someone as cavalier as L.  
Even if he lived there…still, who ate cake like that with out cutting a slice?

L peeled off a chunk three times as big as the tiny silver fork and slipped it into his mouth, yes, L did.  
He wasn't even looking at Light, his eyes were on a magazine on the counter that Light hadn't noticed there before and he was paging through it with his finger tips, mouth moving slowly around the most likely melted cake and icing.  
He watched with a frown forming on his pretty features as L ate another bite and turned a page, taking a moment to crack open the can with his thin white fingers before taking a sip.  
Light couldn't believe how he was being ignored,  
"So…Quillsh Wammy…?" he ventured and took a few steps closer. L looked at him and his eyes focused intently for a moment, Light went on, "…you obviously live here. Who is he to you?" he leaned his elbows on the counter across from L.

L swallowed his fourth large bite of the cake and then stuck his fork back into it so it stuck out,  
"…I do live here…as questions go though, I should probably ask what your doing in my house, Light-kun." he threw in the honorific with a smile as he sipped his soda again, his eyes drifting between Light and magazine.

Light was distracted by L's appearance for a moment, taking note of how pale he was, his eyes seemed darker round the skin with the natural light barely touching him since the sun was getting lower outside, his complexion and hair looked matte but up close in broad daylight, looking harder and clearer, L was really attractive.

"Light?" L reached across and tapped the underside of his chin with his fingers and Light pulled back almost nervously. No touching.  
L raised a lazy eyebrow and Light absently neatened his perfect hair,  
"I would have thought that would be your first reaction…" he stalled. He couldn't tell L that he was here to use Mr Wammy to get into Cambridge, if this was L's house then someway and somehow they were related and judging by L and the others take on academic standing, admitting that would…upset L, he supposed.  
He didn't want that.

"I…came here with Mr. Golias, I helped him with some text books." he paused and saw the opportunity to get back to asking about L, "…apparently they're not up to Mr Wammy's standards…" he let his hazel brown eyes reflect mild curiosity. Making him look cute and naïve, he knew it.  
"You've met him?" L cut him off without noticing or caring and turned back to his magazine after he picked the cake fork back out and sucked the icing off it.  
"Uh…yeah. I did." he dropped the look and stared annoyed at L.  
L ate another bite of cake and glanced at Light but didn't say anything as his eyes drifted again down the page of the magazine.

"Are you related to him?" Light avoided sighing as he finally just asked what he wanted to know, managing to keep his tone light and pleasant, the pretense would only drop once he left the house.  
"You helped Andreas Golias…you're brown nosing?" L avoided the question and left the cake fork in the cake again to lift the magazine up and look at something closely on the page.

Light was offended and he let it show,  
"No I am not, I simply have a reputation and saying no when he asked would only reflect badly." he explained with expert ease at lying.  
L slipped off the stool as he closed the magazine and held it in one hand, taking the can up in the other,  
"He asked you to help him…bring text books…here." he said the last word with a small smile that Light didn't understand, he wanted to ask but L was walking away.

Light hated that he did, but he followed L through to the inside exit and into a long high ceiling hall with a fish tank built into the wall, Light didn't stare though, he kept his attention on L who was walking rather lazy as he sipped his soda,  
"Is there something wrong with that?"  
"…" L glanced at him as Light came to walk beside him, "…if I have to think about it, which I don't really want to, I'd have to say that yes…there is something wrong with that." he mumbled.  
"Well, think about it…" Light said expectantly.

L half rolled his eyes and then looked at Light,

"Golias brings you here…you meet Quillsh Wammy, school ended at three, you're here and it's almost six o clock and your talking like that prep school boy I first met." he slowed walking as they came out of a hall leading into the entrance hall and Light heard the headmaster's laugh and Quillsh's voice travel into the hall as he walked to the stairs with L.

He must have looked nervous because L glanced at the large arch as he leaned on the bottom banister of the stairs,  
"…and your nervous around me." he looked back at L who was smiling with his head tilted, "My guess is you're here specifically to meet Wammy…" his eyes said more than that but Light couldn't decipher it and he felt a little worried when L sipped his soda and turned around to the stairs like nothing had happened.

"Are you upset?" he couldn't help asking.  
L paused on the second step and turned around a bit, his socks sliding on the wood easily,  
"I will be if you don't come upstairs…" he winked at Light and turned back, getting two steps higher before Light closed his eyes irritably.  
"I cant…L." he really couldn't…if that wink was anything to go by, he'd very likely be caught in a compromising position when they came looking for him and Light didn't doubt L could be out for exactly that result.

L didn't stop walking and Light became irritated,  
"Hey…" He whispered loudly.  
L turned around,  
"Hm?"  
"You understand right?"  
L smirked,  
"Your asking if I understand that you don't want Wammy to see that you know me?"  
"Keep you voice down…" he whispered loudly again.  
L gave him a highly amused frown, his expression said 'Yeah like I'd do that' and Light got worried as L glanced again at the entrance to the sitting room when laugher and loud voices were heard,  
"So you must be really intelligent then…it would explain why you think so fucking much of yourself…" L commented looking some semblance of thoughtful about it.

"L…"  
Light turned around at the bottom of the stairs to look at the three adults standing in the archway and he felt a small bit of panic shoot up his spine when he saw Wammy glancing between them, he glanced at L who looked about as bored as before.  
"Yes?" he asked lazily directed at the old man.  
"I've asked you not curse when we have company." Quillsh Wammy's friendly smile had disappeared and he was as intimidating as Light's first impression suggested.  
L didn't seem phased, he rolled his eyes and turned to continue up the stairs.

Light was grateful, L wasn't selling him out.

He stopped again half way up and Light panicked again when he turned around,  
"Tell Jenna to buy the cakes from a different store…the strawberry shortcake tastes like shit." and he went on his merry way.  
Light wanted to frown, he didn't though and Quillsh was standing there, looking calm though his eyes were severe.

"That boy…" Roger mumbled and straightened his glasses.  
L was up and turning the stair banister to head further up and out of site…Light felt a little down right then, like something he was doing was wrong…to L.  
"I must apologize for my Grandson's behavior…since his fathers death he's not been too agreeable."  
"He never was really." Roger added and Quillsh raised his eyebrows as if in agreement.

Light did notice that Andreas looked particularly pleased.  
He also put the pieces together in his head, the grave sight was obviously L's fathers, Quillsh's son since the names were the same…he tried to remember the conversation L and B had in the clearing that day…but he couldn't.

Light didn't comment since it wasn't his place to do so and he just let his polite indifferent expression remain on his face.

"Were we going to leave now?" Light asked trying to pick himself back up to the Wammy standard, even if he felt a bit thrown off, L had that effect on him.  
"Oh. No, I was just going to show something to Andreas…" Roger said and turned to the head master and then they started walking past Light again, going off somewhere behind the stair case, the place was like a maze of exits and entrances.  
Quillsh seemed a bit distracted himself before Roger called for him and he sighed shortly, giving Light a small nod and smile and following after the other two.  
When he was out of sight, Light turned to the stairs and leaving his perfection a side for the moment, he ascended the stairs quickly, both sets and then turned into the right hall, making his way to the door, music was still playing from behind it.

He barely knocked before he opened the door and walked in, eyes glancing around the massive room and settling on L sitting at a computer desk, one leg up on the chair as he leaned back and clicked away on his mouse.  
Light closed the door loudly and L glanced at him and then continued scrolling and clicking, Light walked closer since if he spoke over the music it'd be too loud, he saw L was clothes shopping online with the magazine opened on a website advert beside the lap top.

He stood just beside L's chair and looked around the room, it had all the regular furniture, except for the large flat screen mounted on the wall, the built in entertainment system, the love seat at the foot of his double bed and the 2 other lap tops on the floor near the TV and video game consoles, cd's and games scattered around among some clothes.  
He looked down at L who was leaning forward as he read the description of something on the website,  
"He's your grandfather…" he commented loud enough.  
"That he is…" L mumbled and then clicked to the payment button once he had about 16 items in his cart. He stood up and turned to Light, leaning forward and kissing the side of Light's mouth sneakily as he slipped his wallet out of his back pocket.

Light back stepped slightly and glanced down at L opening his wallet, his lips tingling from the small kiss, L's pale fingers slipped a silver card from the wallet and then he sat down again.  
He had credit cards…no surprise there, Light had been wondering how wealthy L actually was and he was standing in the answer…the house was a statement if nothing else.

"He mentioned…" Light didn't know if it was okay to go there, he remembered tension surrounding the grave that day but he wanted to know and he and L were friends, "…that your father passed away."

L didn't say anything and continued typing in his information and then clicking the button to seal the transaction. Light stepped back again when L stood up a second time, unclipping his wallet chain from his shorts and tossing it on the bed a meter away,  
"Do you feel better now that you know something personal about me…?" he was smirking.  
Light blinked his pretty eyes and half pouted in the way he hated himself to do when he was confused,  
"I think I do actually…" he admitted.  
"Hm…well, my father is dead, Wammy is my grandfather…and I do live here." he was saying tediously to Light as he stepped closer, a smile playing on his lips and his tongue slipping along his bottom lip as he stared at Light lazily, "…you've learned a lot then haven't you." he added.

Light sighed and made an annoyed face at L who kept coming closer and Light just kept shifting back. L noticed and tilted his head so his hair shifted into more uneven spikes above his head,  
"He cant see you inside here and I wont tell him that you know me Light, it wouldn't be good for me either in case you were wondering…" he raised a fine black eyebrow.  
Light stopped back stepping, wanting to know what L meant by that but he was cut off,  
"No questions…" L moved forward quicker and grabbed Light, one hand on the side of his face and his arm snaking round his waist underneath his blazer.

* * *

**This M rated scene has been removed in accordance with FF content guidelines. For the full chapter, go to my FF profile and clock on the AO3 link**

* * *

He glanced up at L who raised an eyebrow in a suggestive way, Light kneeled over L and took a hold of the waist band of L's pants and underwear, licking his lips absently and ready to do this…right when there was a loud knock on the door.

Light practically threw himself over the edge of the bed and onto the floor, loud thuds of his limbs hitting the floor and all L saw were arms and legs flail before disappearing.  
Light was wide eyed and pale when L looked over the edge of the bed at him with an incredibly amused facial expression, like he was about to laugh but was really holding it back with effort.  
Light made an angry expression,  
"Answer the fucking door…" he mouthed silently when the loud knock came again, panicking that the person might just enter and hoping that they wouldn't come to the side of the room on which he was hiding by the bed out of sight from the door.

Light certainly never thought he'd be this close to hiding under someone's bed so he didn't' get caught in their bedroom with his pants down…in a manner of speaking.  
L smiled very genuinely amused down at him as he shook his head before he disappeared and Light rolled off his back onto his side, peeking under the bed, surprised there wasn't an abundance of mess underneath it and watching L's socked feet walk across the large space to the door.

He heard it open and swallowed nervously seeing that L didn't open the door fully, his feet behind it, he was hiding what was obviously in his pants. Light's mind jumped to how pronounced the bulge had been and ideas of how large L was came to mind…before he smothered the thoughts violently killing himself mentally.

'I'm supposed to be panicking! Not perving!' he yelled at himself mentally and was grateful that the music concealed the sounds of him retying his zipper, button and belt with shaking hands.  
He heard the mumbled voices but nothing else so he didn't know what they were saying or who L was talking to. A moment later the door closed and Light exhaled his concern and laid on his back again on the floor.

L came around and Light looked up at him while he closed his own zipper and button,  
"They're looking for you…" he said as if Light hadn't already suspected as much.  
"I cant believe…" he trailed off, trying not to think of how close he had been to…having L's…male part, in his mouth. Oh…and yeah, getting caught too.

Priorities.

In his less foggy and aroused state of mind it seemed a little more 'wtf had I been about to do' than it had when he couldn't think straight and was licking his lips. He sat up and watched L walk away to his closet doors, content as ever to go on like nothing had happened. Light was puzzling and flustered again, yeah, he'd been keen to go down on L and he would have done it too.

Now though he didn't like the idea much…he wasn't going to put his mouth on that! He felt like that was a bigger step than he'd first thought,  
'Maybe I'm not as gay as I thought…'

'-S*ck it for me…' - Light's spine tingled when he remembered L's words and his lower abdomen warmed all over again, frustrating when your body doesn't agree with your self correcting arguments, like his body knew better. Pft.  
He stood up and started neatening his uniform, trying to figure out how to define gay…even though he hadn't wanted to label himself, he also hadn't thought of a naked girl in months and he was still flustered from the idea of giving L oral…

He glanced at L who had pulled on a T shirt and was stepping into his laceless black converse sneakers. Face impassive, pale skinned, scratching his wild hair and mouthing along to the music absently as he pulled a chain over his head. Light's heart beat a little faster and butterflies accompanied the flush in his face…he was crushing bad.

…and the idea of having his mouth on any part of L didn't bother him, no matter how much he tried to convince himself other wise.  
"I'll go out first…you come out after 5 minutes or so…" L was saying as he walked toward Light and sidestepped him, leaning over and grabbing his wallet and chain off the bed, "…what are you doing tonight?"  
Light blinked and ran his fingers through his hair to neaten it as he looked at L clipping the chain to his pants loops.  
"I have to be home. I'm due to write the national test exam so I'm being monitored." he admitted and trying to get a hold of his red face and twirling tummy, he was supposed to at the Wammy standard, not watching L's mouth as he spoke,  
"So your not coming out with us this weekend?" L asked and as if it were natural he stepped closer and kissed Light sweetly.

'…like a boyfriend…' Light didn't even berate himself for the silly thought, instead he turned around to follow when L stepped away again and walked over to a dresser counter next to a full length mirror.  
"Um…no. I guess I wont be able to hang out for a while."  
L was spraying over his clothes with some deodorant in a white can and then he looked over himself in the mirror, leaning over to pull his socks up. Light watched his movements subtly, L picked up keys and an open packet of cigarettes and slipped them into his pockets and pushed some hair back from his face as he turned back to Light.

"Well…" L smiled at him, "...maybe I'll give you a ride home after school sometime…"  
Light snorted and folded his arms over his chest,  
"If your ever at school."  
"Good point." he mumbled and picked up a small remote, switching the music off and then walking to the door and out of it.

Light sighed and walked over to the mirror to make sure he looked good, he was a little sticky in his pants from all of the…anticipation, but nothing was outwardly noticeable.  
He glanced back at the bed and remembered how hot his body had felt just 5 minutes ago with L's hands all over him…

'…I'm definitely gay…'

* * *

When he entered the sitting room it was 10 minutes over due which made it close to a quarter to seven but he hadn't had any calls from his parents so they must have notified. He paused in the doorway and saw L sitting up on the backrest of one of the couches, feet on the sitting part and he was regarding his grandfather with a tilted head and bored expression.

There was no one else in the room.

"…is important, as I've told you before." Quillsh was saying as he sat where he'd been sitting earlier with his non friendly look on his face.  
"You can say it as many times as you like…it doesn't make it anymore important to me." L said as he glanced at the ceiling and Light saw Wammy's face turn angry slightly,  
"L…I wont tell you again-" his raised voice was cut off mid way.  
"Then don't, I heard you the first 36 fucking times since last month. I haven't forgotten…" L's deep voice raised a bit as well and he glanced around while shaking his head and spotted Light.

His blinked lazily,  
"Your guest is waiting." he looked back to Wammy and his tone was back to normal.  
The old man glanced over and then stood up, Light stepped further into the room when Quillsh stood,  
"Ah, Roger was looking for you. Andreas had to attend to something urgently so he had to leave, I've contacted your parents and explained the situation. They seemed a bit upset but other wise understanding." he walked closer and Light noticed L getting off the couch.

"I've explained to them I'll have someone drive you home, I also mentioned your exact reason for coming here today and it seemed to appease them." he gave Light his pleasant smile, which held less charm now that Light knew there were two sides to it, like his own.  
Of course, he'd expect the news to make his parents get over it…he was only irritated now because he'd be wrung out with 200 questions when he got home and Light couldn't seep the news out to his advantage when he needed it…well it depended on exactly how much they knew.

Always plotting.

"Thank you Mr Wammy…" Light said and saw L mouth his words with a sarcastic expression and a roll of his eyes, Light ignored him, "…my school bag was in his car though." he finished.  
"Ah yes, he's left it in the entrance hall, it should be hanging up, if you'll just give me a minute I'll call for a chauffer."  
Light raised an eyebrow at L when Wammy walked passed him to exit and L winked and grinned.

'So he does have a chauffeur…rich asshole.' he shook his head and turned around to followed Wammy.

L walked passed him as he entered the entrance hall when Wammy was taking out his cell phone,  
"I could take him…" he piped up as he walked to the door, making Wammy look at him, Light had already been watching him. Yes, he was annoyed at himself for it.  
"Your going out somewhere?" Quillsh closed his phone and focused on L.  
"You said Naomi wanted to speak to me so I'll go now."  
"You're coming straight home?"  
L's phone sounded just then and he slipped it out to check it. He raised his eyebrows once he'd read whatever was in the message,  
"Probably not…but I can still drop him off." L slipped his hand into his pocket and opened one of the front doors after glancing at L indifferently.  
Quillsh gave a long sigh and Light actually saw something akin to distress on his old features as he watched L lean against the door with an expectant look.

"Light lives quite a distance from here, I told his parents he'd be home at 7:30 latest…you must take him first before you visit Naomi." Quillsh stated, "…will it be alright with you?" he asked Light.  
Light nodded as he walked to the hangers with umbrellas and coats and lifted his bag onto his shoulder, ready to leave with L maybe more easily than he should have.

But he was fairly certain Wammy, being none the wiser to them knowing one another, would suspect it was odd.  
Light would just seem ready to go home.  
L didn't say anything and he stepped outside as he pulled his cigarette box from his pocket and took one out of the box with his teeth. Light stepped outside after him and Wammy came to the door as they walked over the gravel stones.

Light glanced back,  
"Goodbye Mr Wammy, thank you or everything." he said with his winning smile and he received a nod and smile, but Wammy was watching L who was happily inhaling from the now lit cigarette as smoke clouded in his walking path and drifting passed Light.

He walked following L in silence all he way around to the garages, not wanting to speak in case Wammy was still able to see them somehow. L slipped keys from his pocket and pressed a button, one of the 6 garages of the long low building started opening, revealing the roadster from the last time.  
L turned to him and walked backwards as he did, taking the cigarette from his mouth,  
"You want me to take the Ferrari?" he asked with a grin as smoke seeped from his mouth.  
Light shook his head when he thought of how L had been driving the last time,  
"No…um, that's fine. The less flashy the car…the better." he was speaking polite and refined again…you know…just in case, but still being truthful, the Ferrari would draw attention and more questions from his parents.  
L shrugged and turned back around just before the opened garage and walked inside the wide clean white space to the drivers side of the car.

Light waited outside of the garage on the brick drive way and glanced at the slightly darkened sky, the sun was low but its light was still out. He glanced at the car as L reversed out of the garage and the door started rolling closed again when he stopped beside Light.  
The brunette got in and pulled his seat belt across his chest quickly while L turned the car AC on. He put the cigarette back in his mouth and reversed again in a small half circle, he turned the steering in the opposite direction, the wheels shifting noisily on the bricks and the car swung round and forward when he accelerated. Light watched as L let the steering spin to straighten itself sliding through his hands and then he accelerated a bit more and gripped it properly again, the car straightening quickly and before long they were speeding down the driveway.

Much like that woman had been doing earlier.

Light sighed and resigned himself to remaining calm, L could drive, it was fine. He wouldn't die.  
Down at the large gate as it swung inward, Light declined the offer to smoke and L stuffed the half finished cigarette into the car ashtray which was relatively full and then he pulled out of the drive way, the car revving loudly as he drove down the road.

Light watched him carefully, L was actually more adult than he'd even expected after discussing it with Mello that night, L was even casual about things with his grandfather, disrespectful even. Independent.  
He wondered how much it had to do with the death of L's father, but considered what Roger had said, L had never been agreeable, so this was just how he was to his family, in his home and out of it.  
Light's body tilted a bit when L turned sharply onto another road and zipped passed some other expensive car coming in the opposite direction, his foot easy on the accelerator and one hand on the steering while the other was at his mouth, he was biting his nail, leaning back with his eyes lazily focused ahead.

Light thought it was sexy.

"You drive…well." he didn't wanna say 'you look hot L' because he'd have to throw himself out of the car, so he opted for another compliment.  
"You wanna drive?" L glanced at him, second hand on the steering wheel now too as he spoke to Light and glanced at his mirrors since there was another car behind them.  
"I can't."  
"It's okay, police don't generally pull cars over in this area, maybe for a mile or more? There's a few back roads…" L encouraged.  
"No, I mean…I cant drive. I've never tried."  
"Oh…you should learn."  
"No shit." Light smiled and leaned back, fiddling with his bag.  
L slowed down at a stop street and then went through it when no other cars were visible, driving over a rise, he turned off onto an on ramp and they headed into busier traffic.

There was silence and L was moving at a good speed in the fast lane, he seemed distracted but Light made conversation anyway, still thinking about Wammy,  
"How did your dad die?" he asked quietly over the slight hum in the car.  
L didn't look at him,  
"He killed himself."  
Pause.  
"Long ago?"  
"Two years ago."

Light knew better than to offer comfort or sorries, how often was that sort of thing even relevant to someone you didn't know personally, so he didn't say anything and it didn't phase L.  
"You and your grandfather don't get along?" he pushed his luck and he saw L's mouth straighten a bit at the comment,  
"You ask such boring questions…" he sighed and Light knew this to be L's way of saying 'I'm not answering that' so he just sighed as well and changed the subject,  
"Your not going straight home?"  
"Matt texted…I'm going to his place." was the lazy response.  
"What are you guys gonna do…?" he was curious.  
"Study…" L laughed slightly.  
"Yeah right…"  
L just kept smiling,  
"You like studying, you should join us…" L hinted.  
"I have real studying to do." Light said sourly.  
L was turning off the highway again and Light didn't recognize the area, nor did the drive take as long as it should have,  
"We cant be near my house already…" he silently wished he knew his way around better.  
"I know…I'm going to Naomi first."  
"Your grandfather said-"  
"Yes I know what he said…" L sounded annoyed, like he hated his understanding and hearing to be questioned, which Light supposed would annoy him too, "…but if I drove as slow as he did, then it'd be necessary. Besides this won't take long…" L trailed off as he turned into a narrower road, more large houses, beach houses.  
Light sighed,  
"…7:30 L…I cant afford to piss my parents off. I'm running out of bullshit to tell them." he mumbled.  
L laughed at that and Light shook his head,  
"So who is Naomi anyway?" he asked as they turned into an open driveway to a large peach and white house,  
"…she's my sister."


	17. Everything Sucks

**Chapter 17**

* * *

Light felt a little anxious, it might have been because he was more than likely going to be late getting home but it also had to do with meeting L's sister. Why? He didn't fucking know.  
The doorbell sounded as they stood on the porch, there was a cat sleeping in a soft white porch chair and the large French windows were all open, curtains blowing inside lightly, it was windier on the beach than at L's place.

L was leaning to the side of the door looking as bored as ever but he was distracted, Light could tell, otherwise he'd be saying something dirty, insulting or random if he wasn't. He knew that he didn't know L well enough to make such assumptions about him, but L looked really off.  
Light had left his bag in the car and had his hands deep in his pockets as he watched L out of the corner of his eye, keeping his posture straight and nose up in he air just a bit, this sister was still an extension of the Wammy household, impressions were everything.

When the door opened Light was the first one visible and he received a small frown with a pleasant smile from the tall dark haired man with light blue eyes who answered the door.  
"Hi, can I help- oh…" his eyes had trailed to the Mercedes right then in recognition and L had stepped into view, still leaning against the door frame as he turned and gave his lazy half arsed smile,  
"Hi Raye…Naomi wanted to see me." he said and as family would, Light supposed, L didn't wait to be invited in and Raye stepped aside for him as he entered.  
Light gave his smaller, less effort, polite smile to the man who returned it almost exactly the same and then walked in after L.

"This is Light…" L said off hand as they walked through a side door into a wide open living area attached to a patio, beyond that was a large deck and the view of the ocean, the space was airy and colored in peaches and blues.  
"Nice to meet you Light. I'm Raye, L's soon to be brother in law…" he introduced himself and extended a hand once they came to stop in the lounge. Light smiled and took his hand,  
"I attend school with L…" he said as an explanation.  
Raye nodded and walked over to a couch, sitting down at the same time that L sat down on and brought his sneakered foot up onto the white leather couch.  
Light was still adjusting to the western ways, not taking his shoes off when entering a house and being called by his first name by default.  
He walked over and sat in the two seat couch L was occupying, but a safe distance away so as not to seem suspicious, after all he didn't actually know what L's family knew of his sexual orientation and Light didn't wanna give them any ideas.

"Naomi is just on a call…" Raye mumbled as he looked over Light quickly.  
"Ah…is it something important she wanted…?" L asked as he tilted his head and ruffled his hair, staring across at the other man.  
"Actually I'm the one who wanted to see you." he admitted and Light raised his eyebrow slightly in curiosity.  
"You asked to see me? Usually you just call me…" L's eyebrows raised now.  
This suggested to Light that L was well acquainted with his brother in law, which was a good thing. Light didn't think he'd ever be on good terms with any boy Sayu decided to be with…especially if it were someone like Mello. Not that he had a problem being with someone like Mello…

'Don't think about gay sex…don't think about gay sex!'

"I know, I was going to but she insisted I ask you face to face…" he grinned.  
L blinked,  
"Ask me what?" he asked still sounding bored.  
"I wanted to ask you if you'd be my best man at the wedding, L." Raye sat forward.  
L smiled and laughed slightly,  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, you're like my own kid brother…I've known you for three years. It makes sense to me to have you stand up for me." he explained casually.

It seemed in contradiction to L's deviant ways he was also a model family member to his sister and her husband, the casual comfortable vibe right then was a big relief to the tension between Mr. Wammy and L.  
L nodded and smiled one his more toothy grins,  
"Yeah, of course I will…" he answered and Raye grinned back, standing up and laughing happily.

"That's great!"  
L stood too and they shook hands and shared one of those quick back patting hugs, in all honesty Light didn't think L was being sincere. A part of him wondered…if maybe L also had so many faces because he had things to hide.

Interrupting his thoughts, Light was the only one who noticed a woman enter the room, a woman with Asian features. This was L's sister?  
L was, as far as Light could tell, completely Caucasian.  
He recognized her as being the woman who had been speeding in her exit from L's house earlier that day, she still wore the tight white tank shirt and with her tight black jeans she looked to be quite fit.  
"You asked him already?" she asked in a very calm voice with no hint of an accent as she smiled warmly at L.

That was definitely a loving…even adoring smile. It piqued Light's curiosity. That was the same way Mello looked at L…  
"Yes and he's agreed to it." Raye walked over to Naomi and kissed her sweetly.  
Light had stood up and was a little surprised when L bumped shoulders with him,  
"This is Light, Naomi."  
Her eyes turned to him and gave him a once over, her calm expression never wavering but the warmth left her face and like Wammy, she looked harder at him than most people.  
He didn't like these people and their overly scrutinizing looks.

After the brief dissection of his person…violated much, she smiled at him making her pretty face light up,  
"I'm Naomi Misora, soon to be Naomi Penbar." she glanced at Raye.  
Light wanted to question the difference in last names, but he'd save the personal questions for when he was alone with L and he would also ask about L having a Asian sister.  
"Light Yagami." he smiled back in his innocent school boy way.

She didn't seem to soften at the look though, like women and girls usually did, in fact, she let her eyes trail from him to L almost suspiciously.

'No! She can't think-'

"Is he really a sweet young naïve boy you're in the process of derailing?" she laughed good naturedly as she regarded L with that familiar warmth again.  
L shared a short look with Light as the brunette felt his panic settle just a bit at the conversation taking a non homosexual turn…not that her words relaxed him per say.  
L looked slightly amused as he shrugged,  
"What makes you think he needs derailment, for all you know he's a bad influence on me." he said sounding innocent with that blank wide eyed look coming over his face and Light frowned.

Naomi smirked,  
"Really L, that's not believable no matter how you say it." she smiled again at Light before patting Raye's chest,  
"I'm gonna go and get some drinks…"  
"We can't stay long, I have to take Light home…" L said surprising Light, he'd expected to be abducted by the other teen.

Then again it was probably wishful thinking… 'Agh…' he thought.

"Oh?" it was a question emphasized by her raised eyebrow.  
"Hm…he was at my place and has to be home by 7:30." L didn't elaborate and it sounded bad to Light, but he didn't know what it would sound like to Naomi.  
"Okay…" she started toward the door and L followed, Light felt the slight brush of L's hand over his arm as a gesture to follow.

His arm tingled through his blazer.  
He did follow and Raye followed after him toward the door and then outside, walking down the porch steps to the car, the wind whipped Naomi's long black hair around as she walked ahead with L beside her.  
When they reached the car L leaned against the door to the driver's side and Light absently stood somewhat beside him with his hands in his pockets.  
"You know this means I get to plan your bachelor party right, Raye?" he looked devious about it.  
Light felt worried for Raye, he didn't actually notice Naomi looking intently at him right then as he stood just a few inches from L.  
Raye glanced at his fiancé and smiled slightly,  
"Will that be alright Naomi?"  
This was when Light noticed her staring because when he looked at her, her eyes drifted from his own gaze right then to look at Raye and then L,  
"I don't know if that's a good idea…"  
"You don't trust me?" L grinned.  
"Not at all." she answered truthfully.  
"I'm hurt…" L added in his usual bored tone as Naomi smiled back and touched his shoulder and face affectionately,  
"You'll live."  
Raye shook his head,  
"It's fine though, I wasn't really planning on one."  
"My sister's got you whipped." L laughed slightly when Naomi punched him in the shoulder.  
It looked like quite hard a punch and L rubbed his arm and looked over amused at the slightly shorter woman.

"The wedding only about a month or so off L, do you have your suit?" she asked as L turned to open the car door.  
He vaguely nodded,  
"Hm…I have a suit."  
"Not a suit, the one I showed you in the catalogue." she insisted with her hands on her hips.  
"I'm not paying for it." he gave her a stubborn look and she returned it with a cocky look.  
"Grandfather will pay for it."  
"You'll have to ask the old git because I'm not going to." he pulled he door open.

"You bringing a date, you didn't officially RSVP." Raye mentioned.  
Light had been listening to the exchange as he made his way round to the passenger side when L's next comment made his eyes widen and he barely managed not to blush.  
"Yes, Light's my date."  
Light stared at Raye and Naomi with slightly wide eyes and then his natural charm came over him in a moment of stress and he smirked at L as he opened the door,  
"It's a little too soon to be taking me to weddings L, I might get the wrong idea." he raised an eyebrow.  
"Ah, Light-kun has seen right through me." L looked at him with an apologetic face.  
Light just blinked, smiled and shook his head to shake off the joke. While kissing himself on the inside for his quick thinking…

Glad he'd saved himself some blushing and obvious embarrassment.

"Well, we'll put you down for a date then." Naomi said and Light's stomach lurched, had they just taken L seriously? He wasn't going to jump to conclusions, she might have been generalizing and assuming L would bring a date anyway, wisely he stayed quiet as he stood with only his head and shoulders visible across the car top, just waiting. Ready to end this awkward visit…  
"Alright, whatever. See you then." L said apathetically.  
"I'll call you about the rehearsal dinner and the arrangements." Naomi said as L got in and Light followed getting into the car.

They waved and said bye and Light responded half interestedly with a wave as L hooted and started reversing down the shorter driveway.

Once they were back on the road L spoke up,  
"Would you get my smokes from my pocket and light one for me." He said in a mumble.  
Light turned his head to L and then looked down at his shorts pocket, thinking of saying no barely crossed his mind before he dismissed it and his hand reached over.  
He reached into L's pocket with just his fingers and extracted the box, not letting the little request turn into a sexual joke of some sort.

Even though since they'd left Wammy's house L had been very withdrawn and not touchy at all.

He opened the box and pulled out the lighter and a cigarette, he considered placing it between L's lips and lighting it like that, but he'd done this for Matt before. Plus he'd smoked in their company and so he went ahead and placed it between his slightly dry lips and flickered the little flame in front of it until the front burned orange, inhaling shortly and taking in the smoke easily.

When had it become so easy to do that?

The smoke filtered around him as he removed the cigarette from his lips and held it over to L who took it without comment and smoked from it deeply. Light smiled a bit to himself, he liked the feeling that came over him with every bit of progress he made…in breaking down his limitations and walls.  
He could only truly let himself be this way when he wasn't around people who needed the pretend Light. Like his parents who needed a model son, or his sister who needed a role model as a brother.

It really did feel better to be himself than to smile and lie so well all the time, even if he was so good at it he'd actually started to believe it was who he was for a time.  
He smirked a bit more and looked at the cigarette pack in his hand before taking out another cigarette and lighting it for himself, inhaling and enjoying the bitter heat in his mouth.  
When he glanced at L he saw the other smiling slightly and Light smiled a bit more too as he rested his elbow up on the car door arm rest.

Some silence passed and Light glanced at the clock on the dashboard which said 7:16 pm and then to the cd player with its little blue flashing letters on the scroll screen, the music ever present in the background barely noticeable once he'd gotten used to it.  
He thought back to L's sister and decided to ask the questions he wanted answers to, whether L answered or not.  
"Naomi is really your sister?" he thought the question was based on the obvious really.  
L tilted his head and licked his lips before he finished his cigarette and put it out in the full car ashtray,  
"She's my half sister, by blood."  
"Which half?" he wasn't going to be shy.  
L glanced at him and Light raised an expectant eyebrow, he actually assumed L would tell him to fuck off but instead L's face expressed compliance and laziness all of a sudden,  
"She's on my father's side, his illegitimate child before he met and married my mother. She was raised by my family though but my father never had her last name changed. In my family ignorance to reality is not an option, besides, she's obviously inherent of her Japanese mother's blood so calling her Naomi Wammy would be insulting her intelligence." he offered a more than reasonable amount of explanation in a bored tone…  
…which only made Light more curious.

His family background was so simple, Soichiro -the up standing perfect traditional male specimen- meets Sachiko -the well raised, decent and perfect house wife material. They have two children -questionable in their morals - though their parents are clueless - but appear to be as perfect as anything. The perfect well balanced family. Husband, wife, boy child and girl child.  
There was no extra's, dark history or in depth explanation when it came to his life…it was so…boring.

L's life was not boring, neither was Mello's, Matt's or even Beyond's. Even Near's, though Light knew very little, seemed to have strange elements.  
"Is her biological mother a part of her life?" he didn't know if the question would bother L.  
"No." he answered simply and without a hint of being bothered in his tone.  
"How old is she?"  
"23." L answered again simply.  
"And she's lived with your family ever since, you two are really close…it seems."  
"You're very forward."  
"I'm not forward, I'm interested. Forward is what you are…" Light shot back.  
"I'm not forward in the way your being."  
"Yes, actually, you're worse."  
"Of course, it's horrible for you." L was smirking knowingly.  
Light rolled his eyes when he put out his cigarette and went for a new angle, never the type to be put off,  
"Your last name is Lawliet right…what is that?" he watched L's face as the other focused on the road.  
"French."  
"You're French?"  
"Maybe."  
"Do you speak French?"  
"Yes, fluently...and Japanese, Russian and Spanish, among a few others."  
"Liar…" Light really didn't believe him.  
L just shrugged.  
Light moved on under the assumption he was right,  
"Why aren't you L. Wammy…?"  
"Because I have my mother's maiden last name." L scratched his hair looking put off by all the questions, yet answering as if just to get Light over the curiosity. Light didn't mind.  
"So you were born out of wedlock?"  
L didn't answer that and Light moved on again,  
"And your mother, does she live with you and your grandfather?"

L's smirk faded and he looked apathetic again,  
"She's dead as well, Light." he sounded a bit final about that statement.  
That line of questioning was shut down now completely.

L didn't get sour or anything he just continued to be silent as they drove.  
He enjoyed the easy silence for a while until the turn off they took was familiar and he realized he'd be home soon, he looked over at L who was expressionless as he turned off the high way.  
In the dark of early evening L looked ghostly pale and sickly with the bags under his lazy eyes and if Light didn't know he was perfectly healthy, he might have been concerned.  
He sighed,  
"I wasn't trying to be forward…I just wanted to know some stuff, I don't really know much about any of you and you have no problem invading my privacy…all though of a different kind." He mumbled and stared out of the window.

L smirked,  
"You're still defending yourself…" L mumbled back and Light turned to watch him from the side angle, "…you'll realize that around myself and the others your constant polite need to be pleasant and offer explanation is useless because none of us give a shit. Say what you need and ask what you want, if I really have a problem with something, you will know." he looked over at Light.

Light found himself giving a little nod to L's words and then he reflected inward, not feeling irritated with himself like he usually did when he was corrected or directed, instead he felt calmed.

He wondered where all of his original irritation and fear for these people and their interactions had disappeared to, he couldn't care less right then because having them in his life felt better than anything he'd had before. It was like a family outside of a family…that was what real friends were? Minus all the sex?

For the first time he was dropped off right outside of his house and Light sat for a moment and sighed despite himself, a feeling of dread filling him when he looked at his house with the dull light glowing from the windows.

Time for fake Light again. That was reality for him…not L and his friends. The Yagami house.

"So I might see you in school sometime…but most likely after the national test exam." L was leaning against his door and watching Light.  
Light nodded and looked at him,  
"Yeah…"  
L raised his eyebrows as if to say 'okay then'.  
Light clicked his seatbelt off and then grabbed his bag from where it was at his feet. He glanced at L right before he opened the door and the light came on in the car.

He knew he could have and probably should have…but Light didn't kiss L like it was tradition, expected or comfortable between them, like they all did all the time because he was afraid of being seen by someone. So he got out of the car with a short mumble of 'bye' and shut the door a little harder than necessary.

Light Yagami was very unhappy as he walked away from the car with his hair tossed around by wind uniform a little creased and his skin slightly clammy, he'd walked out perfectly fake and was walking back in…real until morning came again.  
He felt like he really should have taken that final kiss from L, because it would have made him feel better.  
Not kissing L felt like he was sealing himself out…

…closing himself into his home and hearing, smelling and feeling the familiarity of the house, Light felt anxious turning of his stomach and it left him unsettled.

But he'd sleep it off, like he always did…

* * *

The following morning after a night of restless sleep with constant replays of his conversations with Mr. Wammy and trying to say the damned name without his accent, Light walked downstairs in his neat school uniform prepared for a Friday of school filled with boring classes, students and sport.  
He also had to sign up for various other things like Mr. Wammy had said.

He placed his training bag down at the bottom of the stairs and kept his books with him as he walked to get some coffee in the kitchen.  
When he'd arrived home the previous night he'd eaten his dinner out of the microwave and answered the twenty questions his mother and father served up and finally was left alone at around 9 pm.  
And after all that they still hadn't seemed too chuffed with his late return…it made him wonder what was going on in his parents' minds, he didn't know how they could think badly of him, his acting had never failed before…he didn't want to believe they were starting to see through him.  
Not really knowing what to make off all that, he'd put it out of his mind and focused on school, as he was right then.

No parents, friends or L…just school.

In the passed few week at school Light's popularity had increased just a tad, this was after L failed to attend school and his association with the other boy was forgotten by the empty headed teens.  
As was the norm in high schools, news had travelled very fast and when Light had had the little incident with L and Mikami the last time L made an appearance in front of some witnesses at sch00l, rumor got around that he and L were friends and people started avoiding him.  
It was an interesting development and also a pain, but L having not been around recently, everyone –mostly pretty girls and other guys who labeled themselves brainiacs – had started to gravitate toward him again. Just like he was used to.

It was comforting, going to school over the passed week, though it was dull and for lack of anything new to learn, the atmosphere felt close to how it had been in Japan. Light would enter a class and the teachers would smile approvingly at his punctuality, students would make room for him to sit wherever he walked over to and people would sit near or with him at lunch soaking up his awesomeness, in this case usually it was people Takada knew…

She was quite popular herself.

'Takada…' he thought with a quiet grimace as he walked through the lounge neatening his tie with his free hand, he'd forgotten how she'd been trying to monopolize his time at school, wanting to eat lunches together and walk to all classes together…then there was the morning hugs.  
It wasn't like it was torturous…just uncomfortable.  
He walked into the kitchen and glanced at his sister who spared him a look and then smile as if it were a second thought as she walked by him to leave the room.

That was odd.

Light saw no one else in the kitchen as he placed his books on the table and so he grabbed her thin arm in a slightly firm grip and pulled her backward from passing him, she nearly dropped the lunch box she was holding as he back stepped.  
The two siblings stared at one another, Sayu's smile was a little more fake than she was able to conceal, not like Light's fake smiles. He wasn't smiling right then though,  
"Tell me what's wrong with you…" he raised his eyebrows in a brotherly fashion. You know 'tell me now or I'll crush you', that look.  
"Nothing." She answered dropping her eyes as she lied.  
"You and I both know I won't buy that." He let go of her arm and pointed to one of the many empty chairs around the kitchen table.

Light could assume it had something to do with catching her with a boy in her room and taking L away from her, but that had been the previous week, surely she'd gotten over it by now, girls were fleeting things, they didn't harbor grudges. Right?  
She should've already found some other heart throb of the moment at her school to gush over.  
Not that L was particularly forgettable, Light could vouch for that.  
She wasn't happy as she shrugged and rolled her eyes dramatically, dragging her feet and flopping into a chair with her too short skirt.

"Seriously Light, nani demo arimasen…"(it's nothing) she sighed again as he walked over to the coffee machine filled half way, he'd mother had probably made it for their father that morning.  
"Sayu…are you mad at me because I embarrassed you in front of L?" he shouldn't have been smiling when he said it, teasing her when this boy she was crushing on was a touchy subject.

Not that Light cared, except his sister turned four shades of red and her pretty little face contorted in irritation Light had yet to witness before right then, he actually blinked in astonishment as he took a cup out of a cupboard,  
"I was not embarrassed! I know that L likes me, he told me so!"  
That statement was mostly irrelevant to their conversation and while the idea of L telling her that upset him with mild jealousy and anger for lying to his little sister, he also knew she was far too mad for it to be about that.

"Okay, then tell me what's bothering you?" he turned around stirring the single spoon of sugar he'd just added to his cup of hot coffee, being calm about it and not getting her worked up.  
She seemed to be doing a great job of being angry all by herself.

He remained quiet and watched her, she wanted to tell him whatever was bothering her and she frowned deeper and deeper, whatever it was it was really worrying her.  
"Sayu…are you o-?-"  
"Watashi ga shinpai shite iru." (I'm worried) She paused after this and Light frowned just slightly, getting a little annoyed with her hesitation. "Watashi wa kare mo anata o suki kamo shirenai to omounode." (Because I think he might like you too.)

His cup was still to his lips and he choked just slightly on the hot coffee sliding down the wrong pipe from the inward gasp he'd taken at her words. That…was unexpected.  
Light licked his lips and ignored his watering eyes as his throat burned, he cleared his throat a few times and tensed where he stood as he lowered his cup from his mouth, looking at his sister as if she were a dangerous animal.

She actually looked like a kicked puppy, but in his mind the comparison was fair.

"Nanidesu ka?" (What?) Light tried to sound confused and not worried, not that it worked. He was also annoyed because he'd slipped back to Japanese, he'd been trying so hard not to but when he was uncomfortable like this it was almost like a default.  
Deep down inside, he knew he sounded more sincere in his polite native language than with his strict English tone and with his sister making such horrible and far to correct assumptions, he needed to be the Light who she'd believe like a sucker.  
She made a whining noise, probably realizing what she'd said was far too out of bounds a conversation to be having with her older brother.

Sayu shouldn't say things like that ever! Especially when it gave Light the willies.  
'Ah! I hate that word!' he reflected in panic as she turned her pretty brown innocent –yet evil and deceptive- eyes on him.

He wished he had Mello's cross, she was evil…that innocent look was a lie…she knew something, that's why she looked so forgivable all of a sudden! Light knew how that look worked because he'd perfected it!  
'Damnit…' he knew he shouldn't be panicking, she hadn't even said anything yet.

He maintained a slightly curious look on the outside even though he wanted to run into a wall and fall unconscious…forever.  
"Ah…well…Misa called me the last weekend, just to say hi…" she started and was fidgeting with her lunch box in her skirt covered lap, "…and I told her about what happened with L in my room, so she laughed." She seemed a bit annoyed when remembering that.

Light remained silent as his neck prickled with nervous sweat. Misa was dangerous, the girl knew things.

She glanced around, taking her fake innocent eyes away from him,  
"She said that I shouldn't be too excited about L making out with me…because…"  
'Because?' Light thought as his fingers tightened their grip around the mug handle.  
"…because…" she blushed a bit and pulled her face, "…Misa says…L likes pretty girls but…" she looked at Light almost too pointedly, "…she says he likes pretty boys more."

"Light!"

He jumped a bit at the unusual loudness of his mother's voice and was lucky not to spill coffee on himself. His mother was coming up from the basement stairs door, he knew the laundry room was down there, but why was she yelling?  
Sayu stood up as well, brushing her hair back and trying not to look bashful, talking about gay stuff for her was probably unsettling, she'd never been exposed to any of it, just like Light…

…now he'd been exposed and then some.  
'Not now Light!' he yelled at himself mentally as his mother came wide eyed and huffing into the kitchen, stress and anger so clearly on her face it was disturbing to see passive Sachiko like that.  
Like he'd never seen his sister look so irritated, he'd never seen his mother look just that upset…not even at his most recent wrong doings of not coming home.

And it was all directed at him.

"Ka-san?" there was that annoying reflex again, he'd never been nervous around his parents before, then again, he'd never done something to upset them that he hadn't had time to plan for, he had no clue why she was so piss-

"Ah…" he looked like a goldfish, wide eyed and vacant as his mother held up a cigarette in her thin wrinkly hand.  
'She found those pants…that I hadn't put in my hamper…' he had left them on the floor with the clothes that didn't belong to him but he'd forgotten about the cigarette L had slipped him at school.  
Why was this coming back to bite him in the ass? Didn't other teenagers get away with this shit?

When he didn't offer any explanation his mother came toward him and Sayu actually meeped, Light on the other hand made a high pitched sound unlike himself – that he would deny making- when his mother grabbed the top of his ear between her fingers and yanked him down a bit to her level so she could…smell his hair!? Right before pulling on his ear a little more just for the pain effect, Light trying his best not to meep like his sister, as she shoved him into a chair.

She was stronger than she looked!  
And Light didn't remember that hurting so much when he was nine years old.  
He rubbed his ear gently just knowing it was red, and Sayu stayed put watching like it was a show.

Damn little sisters.

"You're smoking! Your hair stinks of it…so don't try to lie and tell me it's a friends cigarette…my sister's children pulled that nonsense with her!"

The one night Light hadn't bothered to wash his hair…because it was Friday, hot and he had soccer training that day. Plus he had intended to come straight home…and had generally lost his strong interest in over grooming since being under the influence of L and now here he was, caught out by un-shampooed hair.  
His mother probably just assumed he'd been smoking that morning since him not washing his hair was unheard of…so that just helped to stick it to him, no alibi would work here, his mother was wise to children's lies.

Damn aunts.

"Ka-san…" Light stopped before he went on in Japanese, he sighed as he tried to look sad and disappointed like he usually would when faced with his parents disapproval, "…I don't smoke…I just tried it and I had that one in my pants, it's more than a week old." He said honestly, all the other bits about him smoking just the night before not really important…not at all.

What she didn't know couldn't hurt her.  
She frowned at him and grabbed his ear again, wiggling it for good measure and Light's face turned a bit red, he knew he looked stupid but what could he do. It fucking hurt!  
Sayu was wide eyed.  
"I'm not a fool! Don't think just because your so smart everyone else is an idiot!" she was ranting and Light was more than a little surprised by her words.  
Apparently his mask was slipping. Crap.

Damn mothers.

She let his ear go and grabbed his face forcing him to look up as she stood over him with her four foot, yet admirably intimidating stance,  
"You will stop this instant Light Yagami! Matawa watashi wa anata no chichi o oshiete kuremasu (or I will tell your father)…and then your punishment will be severe!" she threatened and Light had to admit, bad English or not, she sounded scary when she was snarling and threatening his poor innocent ear.  
"Light-o! Anata wa rikai shite imasu ka?!" (Do you understand?) she yelled and he blinked and covered his ear defensively.  
"Hai…watashi wa rikai shite imasu." (Yes, I understand) he said quickly and while he knew he didn't look afraid, he could feel his expression was shocked at least.

Not so bad.

Like a mad woman she squashed the tiny stick in her hand and gave him a very disgusted look and then looked at Sayu,  
"Gakkō e ikou!" (Go to school!) she yelled at Sayu and his little sister quickly said a high pitched 'Hai!' and bolted from the kitchen.  
This business of doing bad stuff was getting tricky.  
"You too…" she barely looked at Light and the brunette raised an eyebrow as she walked away back to the basement door, he didn't know why…but he wasn't so bothered by all that.

And it felt very liberating to really not care what punishment he might get. He smiled just a bit after she left the kitchen, glancing at the coffee cup he placed down harshly when she'd shoved him into the seat, some coffee had spilled then, even on his sleeve.  
He sighed and got up deciding to change his blazer…or maybe he just wouldn't wear it.

That sounded like an idea, a first actually. He wasn't going to wear his full school uniform.  
Taking it off and leaving it over the kitchen chair, Light picked his books up and brushed some less than clean hair back from his face, feeling his ear still stinging and having a moment of silence for its suffering, he finally left the kitchen to go to school.

* * *

His mind was strangely clear and his thoughts unclouded as he ran laps around the soccer field for the warm up of the Friday training. He had been a little surprised to see Coach Matsuda joining in, apparently he felt like the students would do better if they saw him losing his breath too.  
He was actually fit though, Light was very slightly impressed.

For Light it didn't matter though because soccer was a stress reliever as well as an added activity to Cambridge portfolio. He was a little more out of breath than usual since his diet and habits had changed drastically recently, his body had taken a knock from the alcohol and drugs, but it wasn't so bad that he couldn't conquer ten laps, he used to run long distance after all in Junior school.

After four laps he was pleased to see only three other boys keeping up with him and Matsuda had went off to fiddle with his clip board, one of them was actually a little ahead of it and while it grated on his nerves, Light somehow didn't feel the need to try and pass him. It was new to him to not have his competitive ways push him to his limit. He just assumed it was his subconscious reassuring him that once he was back in shape, he wouldn't have to push himself at all.

It always usually came naturally…  
Usually…  
As he did another round he passed by the bleachers along side the field, there were a few students scattered there and he knew Kiyomi was sitting up there, reading and watching like a good….girlfriend. He mentally shrugged at the term, with the way the day had gone, the hug that morning, the kiss on the cheek before going to their respective classes and the hand holding –she initiated- on the way to Light's soccer training, he knew it was safe to say that's where it was headed.

And after that morning, being caught out smoking along with Sayu's words and having had so much confusion and trouble lately with his own feelings, at the very least Kiyomi would serve as an appropriate cover. Especially to Sayu, who now knew that L was bi-sexual and favoured boys, pretty boys like Light. She needed to have her paranoia smothered.  
Light knew that with her knowing that, she'd be extra attentive anytime L came around and while she was no Light Yagami, the girl wasn't stupid enough to miss L's obvious grins and bold behaviour.

Kiyomi was pretty and polite and his parents would love her, Sayu would believe it, Light would act his way out of this and he'd have to work hard for it too after brushing Misa off so much and helping to make his sister suspicious with that. What guy turns a hot girl like Misa down? A gay one?  
Kiyomi was prettier as far as he was concerned and if it meant playing kissy kissy with her and holding her god damned hand, he'd do it.  
Light was a master of deception.

And on the other side of things, he smirked a little, it would be a good way for him to test his sexual confusion. He hadn't bothered with girls since Japan, he hadn't even looked at one since moving there, granted he'd been distracted with the big move and being molested by boys, but still…he was 17 and he hadn't looked at a girl's rack or her legs?  
He knew he was officially sitting on the fence now and he had to figure it out, even if was just to satisfy his own concerns and confusion. He needed to see whether it was one or the other…or both.

As he came around the field again, his mind still clearer than it had been all week, he glanced up at the bleachers and expected to see Kiyomi gazing at him with adoration like expected…except his eyes widened and then narrowed when he saw L sitting next to her.  
Light couldn't stop running, he had to do his laps and then the practice would start, people were watching him, Matsuda and the team so he couldn't jump up the bleachers and shake the hell out of L. But there L was sitting and Kiyomi was chatting and smiling and L was like a man slut with his sexy smile and less than subtle glances over her person. Man slut!

Light was furious in an instant, his clear head instantly fuming as he started running a little faster and passed the guy in front of him, he needed to burn off the anger. The sooner this was over, the sooner he could get up there and find out firstly –why L was suddenly at school after not being there all day! And secondly –why the fuck he was speaking to Kiyomi like he wanted to feel her up!

Nothing good could come from that…

* * *

It became apparent that Light was not paying attention to the game when the ball hit him in his side the first time and then in his face the next. The other boys were snickering and talking about how his cheek and eye were a burning bright red for a good ten minutes after he'd failed to pay attention to the ball spinning through the air in his direction. Nice fail.

Matsuda called him off the field with waving arms, looking distressed as if Light was gushing blood from his head.

He patted his face just to check anyway…and then sighed realising the older man was just being a moron to look so worried. Light had been hit in the face by things before, he was a boy after all and playing rough growing up was something other older boys always indulged the smaller, skinnier, smarter children with.

"Light! Are you okay? You're head's just not in the game huh?" he spoke annoyingly loud again and Light just adjusted his knee length shorts on his waist as they stuck to his sweating thighs irritatingly.  
He didn't answer instead he glanced to where he'd been looking right before he was thwacked in the face, L was gone and Kiyomi was staring down at him with the same exaggerated concern Matsuda had.

'The fuck is wrong with these people…I'm not dying!' he'd never been so underestimated in his life, it was insulting.  
"You think you can finish training?"  
Light looked back at his coach forgetting all of his good boy politeness and letting his eyes reflect his anger, Matsuda actually flinched,  
"Yes, I'm not made of glass Coach, I can take a ball to my face and still comprehend what I'm doing." He stated calmly but his tone was cold.  
Matsuda raised a hand up and patted Light's shoulder…his eye was going to have a permanent twitch at this rate. As the older man laughed nervously he squeezed Light's shoulder,  
"If you had to take it to the balls you wouldn't be standing here…ahaha…hahahaha!" he was enjoying the little joke.

Light supposed he had experience in that department being a long time soccer coach and he amused himself with the thought that Matsuda was impotent. With a shrug, Light turned away from the stupid man and walked back onto the field…L was gone now without so much as a word and Light was still uncertain about how the previous day had ended so abruptly between them.  
He often wondered whether L was upset him, he felt so stupid for it.

He let this fuel his rage…and decided to take some 'to the balls' revenge on his snickering soccer mates.

* * *

Kiyomi glanced back as Light and her walked away from the field, there was one last lonely boy still rolling around with his hands pointlessly cupping his crotch on the grass field. Light had received another ball to his back during the little war he started…it had actually turned out to be a lot of fun knocking the bastards down.

She would disagree though being all soft hearted and blah blah. Boring.

He wasn't going to shower with the other players since it was the end of the day, so Light stayed in his training clothes, sweaty and all –hoping it would deter contact from Kiyomi- as they walked over the grounds to the school exit.  
Once they were walking down the familiar road from the school Kiyomi spoke up,  
"Are you okay? You looked very upset when you were playing…"  
Light was glad she wasn't fussing over him, even though his side was probably bruised from the ball earlier and maybe even his face, but he doubted his face was, thank goodness. Not his pretty face.  
Randomly Light thought that a cigarette sounded like a great idea right then…but he had none.

And his ear tingled a bit at the memory.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He tried to play it cool for a moment and approach the obvious question burning a hole in his brain, "…so that guy you were talking to?" he hoped she'd mistake it for boyfriend like interest. It was nauseating that he had to stoop this low but this was the first time he'd ever had something so serious to hide. He would rather have been a serial killer, it sounded easier.

At least all the people involved ended up dead…  
"Oh…he wasn't there to speak with me if that's what you are concerned about…" she loved it, Light being curiously jealous, worked every time with girls, though she wasn't smiling.  
'Kiyomi is a pretty serious girl…' Light thought distantly.  
"Okay, well what did he want?" he didn't bother to look at her though, contradicting his interest in her but she didn't notice since she was also looking straight ahead.

"He asked me to give you this…" she opened her novel and took out a ripped off piece of lined paper and handed it to him.  
Light took it from her and looked over the ten digit number written in admittedly nice handwriting, not as nice as his of course, but very neat. And above the number were two words that made him realise why Kiyomi was suddenly trying to see through his skull for answers.

**Call Me**

Light knew that the dick had done it on purpose, he just had the gut feeling that L knew this would set him on an awkward path, especially since he gave the number to Kiyomi. He sighed inwardly and then decided it was best not to over react to it.

So a guy gave him a cell number, they were friends and he didn't actually have L's number so it made sense, while he wasn't keen to openly state he was friends with L, he figured it was excuse enough for her being as clueless as she was and new to the school.  
She wasn't likely to know more than Light at this stage…  
So very nonchalantly Light pocketed the piece of paper and mumbled a thanks to her. He noticed her slight frown and how she did a small double take after turning to look away from him…she wanted to ask him something and he didn't want to have to answer it.

They were crossing the intersection when she obviously couldn't hold it any longer,  
"Light…why did he give you his number?"  
'Damn it…' he thought and he gave her a side glance, readjusting his books and the training bag on his shoulder.  
"He's sort of a friend…" he wasn't going to say 'good friends' or 'close friends' because he didn't want his name tainted with L's disliked reputation as a bully, truant and who knows what else.  
"I've heard things about that boy…" she piped up.  
'And there's what else...' he cursed on the inside as she looked at him with raised eyebrows.

He hadn't heard anything specific about L at school, but then again he wasn't inclined to be around gossipers, Kiyomi being a girl she was probably right in the middle of it.  
"Oh, like what?" he ventured calmly, not letting his face give away his dramatic cries of 'why?' on the inside.  
She sighed a bit and clutched her books a little tighter,  
"…well, I've heard he's been in trouble for doing things…in the bathrooms with…boys." She stared at the ground as they walked.  
Light didn't falter, proud of himself for it too because the lurch in his stomach made him feel like the ground fell out from beneath him, his eye did twitch though.  
He didn't actually feel like he could speak without sounding angry so he stayed silent.

They walked in silence for a bit more until her house came into view and she kept glancing at him, she wanted reassurance, just like he had to give Sayu reassurance.  
Damn women…

He turned to her as they stopped on the pavement in front of her house,  
"Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked him.  
Light decided to take the high road,  
"I'm sorry Kiyomi, I'm not the sort to entertain useless gossip. I don't know him well enough to say I know for a fact its not true so I also cant say I believe it. It's immoral to say things like that about people especially when it can't be confirmed." Lies and guilt trip…watch her crumble.

She didn't crumble.  
Light stared and she stared back.

"Mikami told me, it wasn't gossip…" she admitted in a flat tone, dismissing Light's accusation of her gossiping completely. It was admirable but he wanted to shove her down the manhole a few feet from them right then, so he didn't congratulate her even mentally.  
He gave himself a moment to stop repeating 'manhole' in his head before he responded.

"How does he know?"  
She continued to stare at him…he could have sworn her expression was implying he was dense.  
"Isn't it obvious how he knows, Light…?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

And cue the twitch.

He did know what she meant but it didn't compute at first because panic flared in his mind.  
Mikami caught in bathrooms with L…and possibly other incidents as well, she'd referred to plural.  
MIkami knows Light is 'friends' with L…  
MIkami tells Kiyomi L likes boys and Light just got L's number very suggestively on a piece of paper…

…and pocketed it without so much as a question.

Desperate times and reputations called for desperate measures.  
He was about to say too much but he had no choice.

"Well…" he started and raised his eyebrows, playing the surprised –clueless- guy she was hoping he was, "…I don't judge people…" lies lies lies, "…so I wont comment on that, considering Mikami is also…directly involved." Brush it right off, change the direction of conversation.

"The reason I know him is because…" here comes the compromising over share, "…his grandfather has offered to help me get into Cambridge University in the UK, he owns our school and has those sort of connections…" he didn't know if she knew that but the surprise on her face told him she'd been thrown off.  
"Oh…wow, that's incredible. I didn't know that about him." She said quietly.  
"Yes, people always know the worst about people." Did he just defend L?  
'Shit fuck!'

There was the guilt on her face he was looking for, though it was scarce and it disappeared when she frowned,  
"Still though…what if he likes you that way?" she went on.  
"I don't like him." Light said it very quickly. Denial was haaaaard! Lying was easy when you knew you had to do it, but denying someone who you have a crush on was not an experience he had. He cleared his throat, "…not like…that, anyway." He added with a random hand gesture.

He'd just developed a lying tell. Lucky she didn't know him any better to call him out on it.  
"Oh…kay…" she didn't sound convinced or maybe he was just being paranoid.  
Couldn't L have been more discreet than this? He was so mad at him right then for man slutting all over the place and dragging Light into it!  
Not jealous of Mikami…just mad at L.

He laughed it off slightly, feeling the nerves in his body getting tense, he needed to scream into his pillow for about an hour and stuff his face with ice cream and chocolate sauce.  
It was not gay to be a male depressive eater. Light was sure of that.  
He decided to take the low yet easy road…

"Well forget all that, I actually…I wanted to ask you if…" '…nonono…don't do it…' "…if…" it was like he was trying to cough up a stone but he knew he had to do this, he needed to clean his glittering gay slate, "…if…you'd like to go out with me…?" his voice cracked and he assumed she'd think it was boy likes girl nerves. Even though it was 'ohmyfuckinghellidontwantthis ' nerves.

He looked at her and any doubt she had was replaced by that bright eyed happy look, she blushed,  
"You mean…to be your girlfriend?" she mumbled back and stepped a little closer.  
Light didn't trust his voice so he nodded and forced a pleasant smile at her.  
…aaand then she strangled him with a hug and while he held up her light weight with her arms around his neck, he envisioned strangling L with a shoelace.

'…he doesn't have shoelaces…' his mind provided and he made a face that Kiyomi couldn't see because she was trying to mould herself into one with Light.  
After a good minute and a half of clinging to him and finally saying yes…as if he'd missed that part with all the hugging, he resigned himself to kissing her a little more…generously than he would have liked and then she said goodbye.

Light grimaced deeply and felt a heavy weight of worry and misery settle over him as he turned to continue down the road.  
Sayu suspected.  
Kiyomi suspected.  
Mikami suspected…maybe even already knew.  
Misa knew for a fact and if she told Sayu…

He frowned heavily, he was so pissed off he wanted to hit someone. Where was L when you needed him? He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out the piece of paper, giving it a dirty look right before squashing it up and tossing it to the ground…littering be damned.


	18. Ball And A Biscuit

**AN: I finally got my hands on the missing chapter 18 and am now able to put all chapters up and then eventually the new update. I'd like to do this with 'A Tendancy To Start Fires' as well but I can't until I get my hands on chapter 7 :|**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

* * *

At the end of the third week of Light's 'stay home' rule given by his parents, he was getting a little annoyed at not being able to go anywhere other than the stores. Which was surprising since he'd never been the type to need social interaction, the fact that he was craving it was very odd. Although he figured it more than likely had to do with the fact that he was used to being allowed anything even if he never chose to use those liberties and now that he was being confined, it was difficult.

That was the nature of rebellion.

He walked from the school gates alone, Friday's were good days for more than just being the last week day of school, it was also Kiyomi's only day where she had an extracurricular activity after school and Light didn't have to walk her home.

Three weeks had passed too slowly, with her sneaking kisses from him between classes and saying things in plural like 'we should go to this place' and stuff. It was off putting, Light knew it hadn't bothered him in the past when girls so closely associated themselves with him, especially ones he was snogging every other day, but now it irked him.

He didn't really want it and he knew it, he was doing it to cover his ass and for the convenience.

Deep down…only really deep down, was Light able to admit he was missing his newer short lived friends. Mello's randomness and temper, Matt's scary serious face yet carefree smile, even Beyond who never really did more than drop him a line or a look, he found himself missing them…and especially L.

L who he had left on bad terms last he'd spoken to him and L who had taken a small revenge by complicating his life last he'd showed up. So much trivial instances had passed since those incidents…he wondered if L even cared about any of it and something told him the answer was no.

He'd been gratefully distracted by his school and home life recently.

Light didn't need to go to school, he could use up less of his time learning from the text books in a few short hours than he did in sessions of classes, but he attended because it was a compulsory thing. His parents made him go as did the law unless he wanted to be a drop out and be stuck with that hanging over his head.

So having these things always be a part of his life had been easy, until recently when the new developments shook his stable foundation and made him want to be anywhere but at home and at school.

But having Kiyomi there to distract him with her idle chit chat and adoring kisses and smile, kept him from thinking about L…in general…for at least 15 minutes at a time in between random daydreaming. He couldn't help it all the time even if he wanted to be able to.

Then there was home, his parents seemed to monitor him far more closely and though it annoyed him, it also didn't leave him much time to himself. He was either having to talk about school, watch TV with his family or be helping Sayu with school work.

The moments he had alone were aggravating, especially when he was lying in bed awake and wondering if L was mad at him for not calling after he'd dropped off this number. Or when he was in the shower and his own nudity sent his mind wandering back to L's house. He managed though, Light Yagami was strong enough to deny himself sexual gratification and indulgence. After all, jerking off to thoughts of L would be the same thing as acceptance of his crush, which he knew was a bad idea.

Liking L was one thing, in the general sense, but 'liking' him was entirely worse, considering his life style and friends…who Light was fond of as well, it all seemed so complicated.

He wanted to un-complicate it, try to get over L and his friends and be the independent Light Yagami again, he may have been fake but at least life was easier when he was constantly lying.

Being the fake Light at home and then real Light around the others caused him to slip up.

He didn't have to accept everything so easily…

He had noticed he was still getting a little hot and bothered whenever Kiyomi lent herself to a more passionate kissing side, so Light knew all was not lost with his attraction to women.

Which was better because he was his usual confident self around girls whereas around L and his friends, Light felt like he was the lost one. So after so much time passing since L showing up at school which as far as Light knew hadn't happened again in three weeks, he was doing his best to just focus on home, school and girls…like he'd done in Japan, playing it safe.

L was an inconsistency anyway.

Light had even had the random thought of going a bit further with Kiyomi one day earlier that week, he'd blacked it out though afterward and went back to reading at the time, finding it a ridiculous train of thought.

But it didn't seem so much anymore and as he walked from the school that -always- warm sunny skied afternoon, Light let his mind drift to the ideals of a boy his age.

Kiyomi in her underwear kissing him…laying down next to him…beneath him. He thought of running his hand over her skin and then cupping her –

"Light!"

He fizzled…he could have sworn he heard something short circuit in his brain and the small tingle of heat in his lower stomach at his thoughts turned to heart burn. He would have an ulcer if things went on fucking with him.

Never the less, he hadn't recognized the voice so he didn't stop walking but spared a glance backwards and his hand on his bag strap tightened.

Mikami was jogging over to him with a disarming smile and a book bag on his shoulder, wearing his usual square framed specs and his black hair was neatly brushed and styled around his face.

Stalker date rapist face in place. Light inwardly cringed.

The thing about Mikami that had come to bother Light most over the past days of him popping up randomly…was that the boy was actually very good looking which is what made him disarming and a potential date rapist in the first place. He had sharp well set features and nothing was amiss on his face except the look in his eyes. He had this look in his eyes like he was always thinking about something that you were not going to understand.

The good looking thing bugged him more though…L really did like pretty boys.

Mikami caught up to him, though he had picked up his pace again slightly,

"How are you today? I was helping out a teacher so I missed our class…" as if Light had noticed, he pointed out, not out of breath so he was fit. Not better than Light though…never.

The past weeks Light had been back on top of his game.

Receiving the ooh's and aah's he was used to for his excellent performance athletically and academically.

Life was boring.

The brunette raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement and kept walking.

Mikami invited himself along and they walked in silence and it became awkward because Mikami had something to say, his incessant glances at Light gave it away. But Light wasn't going to ask…not that he needed to,

"Are you upset with me?"

The question itself was wholly stupid, for Light to be upset with him he'd have actually had to give a shit about anything Mikami did or did not do…that was very absent between them as separate human beings.

Except maybe that…jealous annoyance, but Light didn't let that factor into his nonchalant demeanor,

"There's no reason for me to be upset with you." He responded as they reached the intersection and Light turned the corner to walk into the convenience store and Teru followed.

"Oh well…I thought maybe because you know about myself and L previously dating you were-" he stopped talking when Light stopped walking, just inside the doors of the store, the bell dinged to alert the store people they were there and Light didn't move.

He turned around,

"Come again?" he asked calmly.

'_Did he say…dating?'_ Light asked himself mentally, the very idea of that word and L's lifestyle did not make an ounce of sense, or was he missing something?

Mikami took a short breath and stepped into the store further so the annoying bell went again and they were standing out of the way, or at least Teru was,

"Kiyomi told me she told you about me and L being caught in the school bathrooms…and you're always so hostile toward me, when I can't think of a single thing I've done wrong. And at first I thought it was because of L bad mouthing me but you don't even hang out with him anymore but you're still hostile to me so…" he was speaking calmly and sounding quite sure of himself, "…I thought maybe you were upset about something else."

Light processed the information with record calmness considering Mikami's presumptuousness made him nauseous,  
"And you think that I'm upset because you…**dated**, L?" the word slipped out just a tad lower than the others.

Teru shrugged,  
"What other reason is there?"

"Maybe the fact that I don't like you?" that was the real Light Yagami right then, the one that very very few people –not even L and his friends had seen –

Blatantly rude and uncaring of anyone he thought was beneath him. When all the tact and polite pleasantries were peeled away, Light was a nasty piece of work.

He glanced around and stepped forward backing Mikami up against an unstable rotating rack of sunglasses and his eyes narrowed, he raised an eyebrow,

"Did you understand that, Teru Mikami?"

Mikami was silent and then he stuttered,

"…yo-you don't…like me?" he seemed shocked.

How, Light didn't know.

"You're supposed to be smart, yet things like ignoring you, avoiding you and being exasperated by your presence whenever you come near me seems to read to you as an invitation to keep coming back. So maybe it's better if I snuffed out any doubts. I don't like you at all…your annoying and creepy. Leave me alone." he said calmly with a ghost of a smile on his attractive features.

Teru frowned slightly and then deeper and side stepped the sunglasses rack, nearly knocking it over before not looking at Light again and leaving the store.

Without batting an eyelash Light turned and walked into the store to the fridges to grab a soda can and then he headed over to the counter.

Dating.

Dating was not right…it made his skin prickle.

He paid for his soft drink and then walked back out into the warm air and was stunned into silence when he was shoved against the wall roughly and his bag nearly slipped off his shoulder,  
"L will use you and throw you away…" Mikami said darkly as Light hid his grimace of pain shooting through his spine from being pushed into the brick so roughly,

"He will talk sweet and make you do what he wants, then screw you and tell you lies and then he'll forget you exist…" he seemed genuinely upset, "…he'll look at you like he doesn't know you and treat you like shit because that's who L is…" he was at least speaking quietly which Light was grateful for because no attention was drawn to them by the few people driving or walking by except for maybe a glance.

Mikami was waiting for a response and while Light was a little more than upset by the shove and the information that made the hairs on his neck stand –since it sounded quite familiar to what had been happening with him and L- he never let it show and pushed himself off the wall.

The can was still in his hand, cold and burning his skin, he straightened his bag on his shoulder and gave Mikami a once over,

"I think you have the wrong idea about me and L…whatever he did to you sounds personal. L and I are not sexually involved…" he felt at liberty to say that since Mikami knew what Kiyomi had told him and Mikami just now had made reference to sleeping with L, "…It's not your business why I know him but don't get it mixed up Teru, it's not like that with me and L." he started walking away.

"I'm not clueless Light." Was all Mikami said.

And even though Light didn't stop walking the words made his hands shake a bit and he swallowed.

This was what he had been worried about...what did Mikami know about him and L?

Had he made a mistake by being so nasty to him just now, was Mikami the vengeful type?

Did Mikami know about Mello, Matt, B and Near or just L.

Light allowed himself to worry about Mikami…because otherwise all he'd be thinking about was the idea of Mikami and L screwing.

* * *

The walk home seemed more exhausting after that, the ten minutes it took put Light in the worst mood and after entering his house he walked in his socks to the kitchen and all but threw the innocent can of soda inside.

He wasn't thirsty or hungry…just angry and worried.

When had his life become so complicated?

Was it before or after he decided it'd be a good idea to explore homosexuality?

He walked back through the quiet western house and slipped his tie off, he'd stopped wearing his blazer most days. He squashed the tie in his fisted hand and started walking up the stairs, his bag still on his shoulder.

He never left it downstairs anymore.

He entered his room and locked the door, the room was neat again like it used to be, no dirty clothes. Mello's things had been washed and Light had just said it belonged to one of the fake friends he'd made up about that night and now they were folded with his own things, waiting to be returned when Light didn't know if he'd see Mello again.

And he didn't want to get into that train of thought because the blurry but memorable images of sleeping with Mello were still at the forefront of his mind.

It caused him to sigh. Just because he was sorry –if even- it didn't mean he hadn't thoroughly enjoyed it.

Detergent had washed away the clothing's faint natural smell the owner usually left in his clothes, now they smelled like detergent and fabric softener because Light hadn't worn them again either.

He dumped his bag on his computer chair and unbuttoned his school shirt, dropping it into his hamper and leaving him in a plain white shirt.

Light's skin was glowing again and his hair was perfect, even the wind complimented it when it tussled the brown locks…but Light Yagami was not the same…suffice to say he lacked the fervor for his usual appearance just because of his distracted mind. For the most part it never showed through, but teachers occasionally caught him out for his daydreaming in classes or disinterest, parents too and Sayu sent him questioning suspicious looks whenever he'd seem down.

He sighed and ran his hands through his hair before taking off his pants, he looked through a drawer where everything was neatly folded and took out a track pants, pulling it on lazily before walking to his school bag.

A long time ago Light would have come straight home and done homework or made a sandwich, maybe gone jogging back in Japan.

But his priorities and ideas of relaxing had changed when he'd noticed that his home life had changed too.

Everyone changed in little ways…routines changed and he used it to his advantage.

When he came home in the afternoons his mother was usually in the laundry room for hours, reading while the washers went on or napping and sometimes watching day time shows that housewives of America seemed to love. Sometimes she wasn't even home, visiting a neighbour or she'd go out to the stores. He never looked for her in the first few days and then realised she didn't look for him either.

This coupled with that nice random guy from school who sold cigarettes loose worked out quite well and he'd started using his daily money to keep a stash and using his mother's daily distractions to enjoy them alone in his room.

He had bought a box of dry mints big enough to hold cigarettes and kept it underneath every book and file or folder in his bag, it was a little squashed but it worked.

Now it might seem strange that Light was doing this just to get away with smoking, but like most young smokers, it starts with curiosity, grows into rebellion and then ends in addiction like where all contraband or lesser addictive substances are involved.

Light wouldn't say he was addicted just yet, but this little rebellion made him happy and it calmed his nerves as well, so he wasn't about to cut himself short.

He had yet to be caught...again.

"I wasn't even caught the first fucking time…" he mumbled to himself as he took out the mint box from his bag, he needed to remind himself sometimes. Events had blurred together during that period of a few weeks. Now his head was clearer and he was patching his thoughts back together gradually.

Analyzing himself…

He opened his window wide, grateful that his mother never went into the back yard, only his father on weekends, and he climbed out onto the roof to sit there in the cool air.

He noticed that as long as he chewed strong gum after a smoke and used some light perfume on his clothes and hair, his mother didn't know and his father who worked with smokers was oblivious since he didn't know any better at all and generally couldn't smell it.

His mother believed she had him sussed because of her sisters smoking kids…he might have been paranoid those first few days but now he smoked with ease.

She was clueless…Light was smarter after all.

He felt like he was getting away with murder.

He smirked.

He took out the cheap lighter with a Marijuana pattern –unoriginal he knew- in bright green and yellow from the mint box and then one of the three cigarettes, he didn't care what brand, but they were not too strong, not like L's cigarettes or Matt's.

He placed one on his mouth and lit it, almost like it was second nature he inhaled, held it briefly and blew out the smoke.

American houses were structured well and their yards were well laid, what with the large tree in the backyard hiding him from view of the opposite neighbours windows and the higher rising roof parts of the house shielding him from the side neighbours…he wondered if the architects had made provisions for sneaky smoking or running away teens, seemed awfully convenient.

He smiled and continued smoking, looking at his black socks as he sat atop the roof tiles with his knees bent up and his body at a slight slant, wind blowing slightly, almost peaceful…almost.

Everything was almost these days.

Light was almost half way through the cigarette when he heard a noise inside the house through the window, turning around and creeping back up a little ways to his window, cigarette held out of harm's way he leaned his head inside his room and confirmed he was hearing the doorbell.

It rang another two times before Light decided this was one of those days mother wasn't home at all, sighing out his last lot of smoke he didn't rush as he put the cigarette out against the roof tile and then climbed back inside.

Hiding it back in the mint box he stuffed it in his bag and pulled out a stick of gum from the pack he kept in there as well. All the while taking his time and hoping the annoying passerby would bugger off, but no such luck because the doorbell rang again. Finally he left the room chewing his minty gum, Light descended the stairs and walked straight to the door. It rang again just as he yanked it open and his jaw stopped moving for a moment as he stared back at L, who stood with his head tilted, hands deep in his pockets and a lollipop sticking out from between his pale lips.

Light did the only thing he could think of right then, he stepped back and closed the door in L's face. It was a very effective move and in his head when he did it he felt very cool…but three steps away moving back inside and he couldn't go any further.

Light cursed quietly under his breath and back stepped once before turning around, reaching out to the door handle he pulled it open harder than before and still L stood there, only now he was doing something on his cell phone.

Attention span please?

He looked up when Light opened the door again and offered one of his lazy smiles making Light's eyes twitch,

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit…" L informed lazily around the sweet in his mouth and finished with his cell before slipping it back inside his pocket.

"You're not welcome to visit."

L stared at Light's annoyed expression with his most clueless look and it irritated Light further,

"This time when I close the door I won't come back to it, go away L." he tried to look mean and assumed he failed because L blinked,

"What did I do?" he asked quietly and removed the sweet from his mouth, revealing a bright red candy, he twirled the stick idly as he stared at Light expectantly.

Light crossed his arms over his chest,

"You thought you were being funny when you gave Kiyomi your number for me?"

L sighed,

"It was just a number…"

"Not with your reputation, you're well known for fooling around with boys in the bathrooms…"

"And?"

"You were suggestive by giving her that number for me…"

"I assure you I was not."

"Quit lying you asshole." Light shot back calmly and stepped back again to close the door.

"Did she suspect that you were fooling around with me?" L didn't move or stop staring, placing the sweet back in his mouth.

Light paused, now staring at the wall to his side with his hand on the door frame,

"It's a suspicious situation, people don't trust you and obviously are less inclined to trust those around and involved with you." He kept his face stern.

"You're really this upset about me giving her a message for you and her getting ideas?" L sounded profoundly bored. And no, Light wasn't upset about that, sure it was annoying but he'd long since resolved that personal problem.

It was all brought to the surface just a half hour ago by Teru, that was what Light was pissed about and L just had bad timing…he couldn't tell L about that though…or should he?

He looked at L slowly, the guy was clueless about his confrontation with Mikami and if Light followed up on it so angrily he'd be validating his jealously and L would love that too much.

He wasn't gonna mention, not right then…maybe in a less hostile and obvious way later.

_'Later? Did I just think later?'_ he wondered bitterly, he'd done it again. Three weeks of not seeing L and the first chance he got he was just agreeing to have L around without consulting his common sense first.

Impulses were strong fuckers.

Light sighed deeply and half rolled his eyes more at himself though L didn't know this,

"No…I'm not…but…!" he said when L smirked around his lollipop, "…but I have the test exam in a week and my parents are all over me about it. I don't know when my mother will be home and I'm not supposed to have friends over." Light said cleverly trying not to be in a space alone with L and to contradict his rude temptation to bring this devious fiend into his home where all kinds of sexual things might happen…to him.

Against his willingness…

_'What?'_ Light didn't understand himself anymore.

L was talking and he blinked a few times to catch up,

"-your parents like me…unless you've changed that somehow?" L questioned with the same amount of interest he had in everything…just about none.

Light was tempted to say yes and _lie_ to get his way, like he would usually, but he shook his head,

"They do like you, but never the less…you should go." he urged, knowing Sayu was also too suspicious by that point and if she showed up while L was there she'd be on high alert.

L made a sad face, his grey eyes taking on a rejected look and Light cursed him for being such a bastard, he knew L was just messing with him, staring sadly at him like that.

"Quit messing around…" Light muttered as he shook his head at L, "I'm not falling for that look you emotionless weirdo."

L rolled his eyes and huffed,

"Fine…" he turned around and started to leave in his lazy way, Light looking across the street to the familiar car. That meant L would really be going…

He blinked and frowned, he didn't want to L to go. Although seeing L made him paranoid and irritated with conflicted emotions and made him think and do things without thinking logically, it also made him crave some non-run of the mill company, much like L's. Only like L's.

_'L…I need to remember to ask him his name…'_ though he never did.

"Hey…" Light walked out after him forgetting he only wore socks and L turned back just before he reached the curb,

"Hm?" he looked at Light dully.

"I want to hang out okay, its just things have gotten…tricky." Light admitted and crossed his arms again staring at L who was the same height as him with the slight slouch.

"Tricky?" L titled his head as he crunched down on whatever was left of his sweet and Light glanced at his mouth before looking away down one end of the street toward Kiyomi's living place.

"Yeah…everything's tense in my house and I'm feeling a little pressure from my parents." He had never admitted such a thing before, not that the situations occurred with regularity but still Light was never inclined to share insecurities.

But like with everything else…L got through that barricade.

He glanced at L to see him smirking,

"I could help you relieve that tension…" he raised a suggestive eyebrow and Light sighed and stepped back, feeling the warm cement through his socks,

"See, that's the problem…"

L frowned very slightly as if considering something and then he pulled the bare stick from his mouth and tossed it on the ground, Light watched it but didn't say anything cause it was largely pointless, L would not care.

"No funny business, then?" L asked.

A moment of staring…some kind of unspoken word to behave himself?

Light nodded slowly.

L nodded back once.

With that silent agreement they walked back toward the house and inside, Light taking his now dirtied socks off to slip on his house shoes.

"Let's stay in the kitchen…" he told L after the dark haired teen had stepped out of his sneakers, revealing sponge bob socks half visible where his dark jeans ended.

Light stared.

L stared at Light staring at his socks.

The moment ended without comment and Light proceeded into the house with L following, in the kitchen Light went to keep his idol hands busy with filling the kettle and setting water to boil,

"You want coffee?"

"Tea please, 8 sugars." L sat down with a lazy slump in one of the chairs and brought one leg up as he leaned back.

"What's with you and tea…and diabetes." Light didn't care for an answer and L didn't bother to give one.

Silence remained as Light made tea and coffee, placing the cup of tea, smaller than his own mug, in front of L who lifted it quite daintily and sipped from it.

He snickered a bit and L looked at him but said nothing.

Light went ahead and broke the silence after he sat down,

"So…what have you guys been doing?" he leaned his elbows on the table and watched L who was getting through the tea very quickly.

He shrugged,

"Not too much…we played a few small gigs on Matt's campus. Went to a few parties, waking up in places we didn't recognize…had some personal get togethers…" he smirked at the last part and Light understood what that meant.

He raised his eyebrows,

"You sound weird when you sing." Light offered, avoiding talking about all he'd missed in detail.

It was strange to feel forlorn about missing out on a drunken stupor…but he did.

"You don't say…" L bounced back.

Light smiled a bit and sipped more of his coffee,

"You want to smoke?" L asked having finished his tea in record time.

Yes…actually Light did, but that would mean going upstairs and locking themselves in…to his bedroom.

He fidgeted with his mug and kept his eyes on the table.

L glanced at him,

"You can say no, Light." L informed him.

"I do…actually." He mumbled.

"Oh…alright…" L went ahead and plucked a half-finished pack from his pocket and Light grabbed it and ducked his hands under the table, nearly knocking his coffee over,

"Are you mad? My mother could walk in here and see this!" he whispered as if someone else were there.

"You're an expert at being over dramatic." L said placidly and flicked his transparent white lighter one and off,

"…so where then? Shall we take a walk?"

Light was pleased that L seemed to be off the perverse wagon right then and maybe he was too quick to trust but he felt like being alone in his room with L would be safe enough.

"Upstairs…" he stood up, stuffing the cigarettes into his track pants pocket and carrying his coffee.

L surprised him by depositing the empty tea cup into the sink before following…L was definitely two sided.

When he hinted he'd behave…he apparently really meant it.

Upstairs and in his room Light pulled out the pack of Marlboro Red that L had brought,

"Lock the door L…" he mumbled as he walked to his window and climbed up onto the sill and stepped on to the roof top.

L followed him shortly and sat himself relatively close to Light where their knees touched because of their bent legs and their arms between their torsos side to side, but not overly obtrusive, still Light found himself sort of enjoying the slight touches of their skin to skin, both of them wearing short sleeve T's.

L's arm hair was fine and black and he could feel it on his skin, making his even finer hair stand slightly in a pleasant way.

"Nice set up you have here…" L mentioned with a smirk as he took the cigarette Light held out to him.

"I know…convenient for this exact purpose."

He half expected L to say something naughty about other purposes but L just smiled and nodded as he put the cigarette to his lips and lit it, shielding it from the wind with a pale thin hand.

L took a few drags and handed it to Light before he leaned forward and hung his arms around his knees,

"What's been tricky?" he asked quietly.

If Light didn't know better, he'd actually believe that L was curious or interested to know.

He felt his throat burn at the stronger cigarette but didn't show it,

"A lot of things…like one after the other…" he paused and exhaled as he continued, "…my mother found the cigarette you slipped me weeks ago in school." He glanced at L who glanced at him looking vague and lost.

Clearly he hadn't remembered that little detail either.

"And then…I believe Misa hinted to my sister that you like boys as well as girls and now Sayu is…suspicious of you being my friend because she thinks it's a 'more than friends' thing, at least for you…thankfully she's not too interested in believing I'd be into guys." He sighed.

"Lucky you." L laughed quietly and took the cigarette back from Light.

Light gave him a side glance and remembered the most recent problem and while a part of him wanted to go on and ignore it, not show he was curious, he couldn't let it go and the atmosphere was as relaxed as it could be so he went for it,

"...and Mikami confessed that you and him were dating…" he added in a light hearted voice and stared at the large tree hiding them from neighbours forward eyes.

L's slight laughter made Light look back at him,

"Dating was it? Well…I guess that depends on the definition of an individual." He didn't seem too bothered by it, Light didn't know why he thought L would be, the guy was not conscience or morally driven.

"What were you doing with him?" Light didn't actually want to know.

"I was sleeping with him occasionally…" L finished the cigarette and before he tossed it Light reached out for it and scraped the burning end dead like he'd done earlier.

Deciding it better not to speak of it further he climbed back through the window and added the finished butt into the mint box so he could throw it in a street dumpster when he had a chance.

L followed and sat on the window sill. Light felt oddly better about the situation, something about L dating another person made him upset but L sleeping with someone…well, strange as it sounded, it seemed more acceptable for the dark haired teen.

"What are your plans after the exam…will your wardens grant you freedom again?" L made an exaggerated voice when he added the last bit.

Light shrugged with a smile and sat on his bed side,

"I'm guessing as much…it's ridiculous how uptight they've become over one incident."

"Never been one for parents." L admitted.

"Was that before or after they died?" Light looked at him seriously.

L was staring at his lighter as he played with it,

"Before. I was at home more probably…doing the exact same act as you on a daily basis because daddy and mommy said so, but when they died and my dearest Grandfather took me in, it was like…half way to emancipation for me." L grinned at the end of his short story told with quite a bit of sarcasm.

"When you say act…you mean…"

"I was doing the same things now as I was when my parents were alive, they just didn't know it."

Light wanted to ask how L was able to lead a double life with such ease but that would be conceding to his possible failure to do so himself, which was not an option so he left that alone.

"Mr. Wammy seems like a good man though." Light was pleased with the pronunciation.

"I didn't say that he wasn't a good man."

"But the way you act and speak it's like he's doing something awful to you and from where I was standing that day I met him…it looked like a hell of a nice set up. You just seemed like a spoilt brat." Light informed him as he sat back against his head board.

"I am a spoilt brat…" L confessed with no qualms, "…very spoilt in fact. But I give back what is expected of me…" L didn't look like he would elaborate and Light didn't know what he meant.

"What does that mean?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It means…Light-kun, that Wammy and I have an agreement and I do hold up my end." He looked at Light right then and stood up in a slow yet somehow graceful movement for his long legs and lean frame.

"Do you have video games or something?" he walked over as he glanced at Light's small flat screen television as he sat down.

"No, I don't play video games." Light admitted.

"What do you do in this room all day?" he looked wide eyed like he thought he would go insane in Light's situation. Book shelf, lap top, papers, neatness…no dust.

"Do you want the exact routine?"

L looked at him and shook his head quickly,

"Never mind…I have a feeling it involves charts, highlighters, grooming and studying…" he leaned back on his elbows.

Light laughed a bit now,

"Good guess."

"You're a certified nerd Light Yagami…" L smiled at him somewhat fondly.

Light stared at him, recognizing the butterflies in his own stomach and the attraction he knew he'd developed for the other, that all too familiar feeling of a crush…he really liked L and while he knew a lot about L, he didn't know him as a person at all.

In the back of his mind he thought of Kiyomi and what he was trying to achieve –solid heterosexuality- with her but he knew he didn't like her like he liked L, he knew he had more feeling for Matt who scared him than he did for Kiyomi.

He knew what he wanted even though he didn't want to embrace the feeling and knowledge, but right then he wanted to kiss L and the feeling was like a nagging in the back of his mind, he knew he shouldn't but he wanted to. Attraction would do that to you…

Against all of the alarms going off in his head about his mother or sister coming home and him initiating this from L when he asked L not to…and what it might lead to, Light leaned downward and forward, balancing on one arm as he leaned closer to L.

L noticed this and his grey eyes looked over Light's face before he leaned forward a little bit and met Light's invitation with dry but soft lips against Light's slightly moist ones.

Just like that he'd initiated a kiss and Light let his eyes slide closed as L opened his mouth and Light followed suit, it made Light tingle and L seemed quite pleased with it as well, not mocking Light or making fun, just kissing him in a not too deep but tasting way, slow kisses.

Light found he quite liked this kind of kissing over the blatant raunchy type, it seemed a bit like the kind of kiss you gave to someone you 'liked' liked…

He was being a little crushing girl again but he didn't let it bother him as he made out with L, the other boy sitting up and breaking the kiss a moment to shift closer to Light on the bed before leaning in to continued what they'd started, mouths moving over one another, lips pressed together in between tasting each other deeper.

Light felt a little light headed and L seemed to be mostly too involved in the kiss to express any haughtiness or cockiness as well, or to try and make this something dirty…almost a perfect moment, if Light didn't factor in all the other kisses L handed out on a daily basis.

Light found himself wondering why L came over here for a few kisses when he could get so much more from any of the others…was it maybe that L did like him a little more than others? Or was this how L made someone feel closer to them as a group.

Mikami's words about L pulling him in with sweet words was somewhere in the back of his mind…and he ignored it.

He'd never forgotten those looks L and the other shared sometimes. Adoration and love. He'd like to have that.

He pressed a bit more into the kiss and L responded accordingly, dominating Light's mouth with skilled ease that caused him to make a low moaning noise, though quiet it was still a noise and Light wanted to scold himself for the slip of emotion.

L pulled back from the kiss and Light opened his eyes to see L smiling,

"I think we should stop now." L mumbled.

Can you say wtf? That was not something Light ever expected someone like L to say.

Light had shifted so he was sitting side ways beside L on the bed and he blinked twice,  
"What? Why?" he asked without any shyness, to hell his mother and sister, he wanted to risk it and L was being all decent, unpredictability can be a super bitch when Light was so turned on.

"Light…kissing for me doesn't lead to cuddling…it leads to things I'm quite certain you didn't verbally voice but were referring to earlier that you were not going to do." L finally mentioned Light's breaking his own rule.

His eyes drifted down to L's lap which like his own, revealed his interest.

Looking at L's pants took Light back to almost a month ago when he'd last had a little roll around with L on a bed…what L had asked him to do…what he'd been about to do that day.

Make no mistake, even though he tried to deny it, Light would have done it.

His homosexual tendencies didn't seem to mind making themselves prominent when faced with these predicaments., denial only reared its head when he was alone and feeling doubtful of himself. His recent self analysis of his years in Japan had left him wondering how many times he could have slept with girls but he never felt the desire…and how strongly he'd come to want L and his friends contact so quickly, regardless of how it terrified him.

Besides all that…he'd already had gay sex…what else was stopping him?

Just his stupid ideals to not be afflicted ever?

In the minute it took Light to think these previous revelations through again, he'd been staring at L's crotch all the while and he half blushed when he realised it and met L's gaze again, L was smiling,

"You're cute when you daydream…" L said in his low voice which sounded like velvet right then to Light and L followed through with a kiss to his neck. L's cool fingers of one of his hands came up to run over Light's adam's apple and down to his collar bone, over his shirt until it reached his upper midsection and deviated to the side, running over Light's side and to his mid back.

* * *

**This scene has been removed in accordance with FF content guidelines, for the full chapter, see my FF profile for the AO3 link.**

* * *

It was at the point when Light realised he wouldn't be able to take all of L into his mouth that his concentration was shattered…

"Lighto?" his mother's voice sent a wave of hot shock through him and he opened his eyes and looked at his locked door as best he could.

L's movements faltered for a second before he resumed and Light narrowed his eyes.

"Sayu…fetch…brother…" he heard his mother's voice faintly call to his sister and he reached up to L's hand on the back of his head, making a noise of protest when L didn't stop.

Light wasn't exactly struggling but surely L had heard his mother?

Of course it mattered not since the noise Light made seemed enough to finish L and at this point Light Yagami experienced his first swallow.

It grossed him out.

He pulled back harshly from L and coughed unattractively, making gagging noises.

He looked up at L and was actually surprised to see him not sitting there.

Light sat on the floor and looked to his desk where L was using his Kleenex tissues to clean up, facing away from him with his jeans pulled up but not fastened.

"Light!" two knocks and his sister tried the door handle.

Thank god it was locked.

He looked from the door to L who was buttoning his jeans and then he brought the Kleenex box over to Light and despite being very pissed off, Light took the box and pulled out tissues to clean himself up, momentary grossness gone, it didn't bother him enough right then when he had to worry about whether anyone heard anything **at all**.

He was grateful they hadn't been making much noise to begin with.

He was glaring at L, he shoved the box into his hands and walked over to toss the used tissues into the small bin basket under his desk as Sayu knocked again and called his name for the third time.

**"What!"** Light yelled and L raised an eyebrow since being less than a foot away, the shout stung his ears more than anything.

"Why are you mad at me?" L asked very quietly so he knew it wouldn't be audible.

**"Mom's calling you! What are you doing in there, why is the door locked?"**

"Because you…" he used his hands to gesture to L's crotch, "…in my mouth, you jerk."

"What did you want me to do?" L gave him a 'what the hell' look as he answered back quietly.

**"Lighto?"** Sayu sounded confused.

**"I'm not feeling well, I was trying to sleep, leave me alone!"** he yelled to the door this time.

**"Dono yōna, kare wa totemo mūdīdesu."** (_Whatever, he is so moody_.) they could hear her whine as she walked away.

Light looked back to L,

"I wanted you to stop." He was still whispering but harshly.

L sighed,

"So you don't like swallowing its fine…next time…" Light made a grand gesture with his hand and L was silenced,

"There will not be a next time!" he whispered loudly.

"Not this again…" L mumbled and rolled his eyes.

"Not what again?" Light watched him closely.

"This boring routine…you enjoyed that, you've never done it before but it was great and just because we were interrupted you're going to make it a bigger deal than it was and act overly offended…you're such a girl!" L looked comically distressed and Light almost laughed at how animated he was being as he whispered back.

He narrowed his eyes,

"I am not like a girl…" he said for no reason, "…that end bit was unpleasant, besides my family interrupting."

L shrugged quite pleasantly despite his tired look,

"I get it Light, no swallowing."

"Stop saying that…" he leaned closer to whisper angrily and L kissed him for his trouble.

It was at first a way to get Light to shut up but it turned out to be a small make out session, Light not bothered once again that his arms were around L's neck like a girl and rather he enjoyed that they were pressed flush against each other against Light's book shelf mere moments later.

L pulled back and Light's eyes drifted open, ignoring one of his encyclopedias sticking into his back and all the problems this stunt with L could have potentially caused,

"I can either hide in your closet where I think you might like me for convenience…or I have to find a way to leave your house, pet..."

Light stared at him as the butterflies came up again when L called him that and he inhaled the smell of L, enjoying his playful humor,

"You can go out the window if you think no one will see you…" he answered with a smirk, glad that he sounded confident and sexy –yes Light used to practice his sexy voice- and L smiled at him naughtily.

When he stepped back and the cool hair settled between where they'd been pressed against one another, Light sighed silently and L leaned back in and kissed Light one last time then he turned and walked to the window.

He didn't look back as he climbed out and Light walked over to watch him rather expertly jump over the house levels roofing and out of sight.

Like he'd done it a million times…and for all Light knew, he had.

Now that L was gone and reality set back in all too quickly, Light felt sticky and dirty and his mouth felt dry, his mother and sister were downstairs and the fact that L would probably be sleeping with someone else that night made him uneasy. But it was just as well…because Light Yagami did not lose to his feelings.

Leading a double couldn't be that hard if L, delinquent he was, could do it. Light would do it too. He knew that when L was around he was all butterflies and crushing, but only when they were alone, which meant he hid it quite well. But the most advantages thing about all this was that he could and would keep L and gang separate from family. School would be tricky but Light was flexible.

He'd deal with Teru when the time came, and Sayu's forward ideas were on postponement until they warranted more attention. Right then…mum and dad needed to get the fuck off his case.

He grabbed a change of clothes and walked out of his room to the bathroom, he'd take a shower and be presentable for his parents, because it was necessary if this plan was going to work. Light smirked, he could have a double life too and he had every intention of introducing his parents to his girlfriend that night when he asked her over for dinner…


	19. Teenage Dirtbag

** AN: This chapter has been edited and censored.**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

* * *

15 year old L rushed down the stairs in the large house two at a time, when he neared the bottom he peeked around through each of the arches to see if Wammy or Roger – the ass face- was anywhere around. Satisfied with kinds but not really surveillance, he crossed the wide entrance hall to the large front door and slipped outside.

It was early afternoon and he was supposed to be doing homework, but L didn't care about homework, so why was he supposed to do it? That was reason enough to leave that shit for someone else to do for five dollars tomorrow morning, besides, it helped him stay average in his grade…

Blanking out the annoying and somehow ever present academic thoughts –god smite Quillsh Wammy and his fucking ideals- he crept -walked lazily- around the side house and down a long wide gravel driveway to the old man's garage with his line up of really ugly old cars.

L couldn't wait until he was sixteen so he could buy cars that actually looked like they weren't modelled after shoe boxes.

He made his way behind the back of the garage house, knowing this massive property all to well, L found himself with his sights set on exactly what he'd been intending to find.

…naturally, or he would never have gotten off his bed from his all too comfortable position with cookies and a movie marathon going on…oh and some homework…in his school bag…on the pool deck at the back of the house.

He didn't mind that his socks were gonna get dirty as he treaded on to the green grass to the trees lining the back of the garage house. He glanced back over his shoulder out of mild paranoia of Roger the fucking watch dog finding him outside and 'deviating from his afternoon schedule' as if it wasn't bad enough that he had to pretend to learn to play piano from some half brained twat every afternoon before he left school.

The guy was a complete failure at piano, or at least at what kind of pianist he was attempting to be.

But at least he made L appear average in piano playing.

Moron…

The boy sitting one of the trees spotted him coming but didn't move or anything, L knew he wouldn't, the guy knew L was always trolling for him and hoping to catch him smoking weed…which he was indeed doing as L identified with a grin as he caught the smell when he was near enough.

Beyond Birthday –ridiculous yet entertaining false or real name – grinned back at him in that way that made L just smile more. It was okay though, Beyond didn't think he was weird.

He sat down under the tree next to B in his denim jeans, his short sleeve white T shirt was exactly like the one B wore with his black jeans.

"I smell weed…" L said pointedly and opened his palm expectantly,

"Say fucking please…" Beyond gave him a lazy side look.

"Fucking please." L dead panned and wiggled his fingers.

Beyond gave him a lame look and shifted his lower half off the grass while leaning back against the tree to get his joint out of his pocket.

When he had it out they stood up and went around the tree and sat on the other side, more out of sight and Beyond lit the joint and then passed it to L, who smoked it liberally and grinned after a moment of holding it in, letting it slip out.

He did this with Beyond, not exactly often, but often enough.

As far as L was concerned, Beyond was alright…

He'd been walking for the family for so many years doing odd jobs that L had long ago made his presence known by hanging around, intentionally.

When he'd first asked Beyond if he had weed…like a year ago, the older boy had been amused but had nodded.

It was a nice break from his fucking stupid routine, smoking with B.

They leaned back against the tree and L rolled his head to the side to look at the 19 year old with lazy eyes as Beyond blow some smoke out and up into the air.

"You wanna make out?"

Beyond was taking another drag when he gave L a side look and laughed a bit around the rolled paper, then he passed it back to L and licked his lips,

"How much time you got?"

"Not enough to do anything else…" L admitted.

Beyond considered this then he turned his head to face L,

"Make out and oral."

L then considered this as he squinted against the smoke around his face,

"…you take too long…" he shook his and took a longer drag on the cylinder.

Beyond started unbuttoning his jeans,

"…make out and hand job?" he said and L was already getting onto his knees to straddle Beyond's lap.

L settled into B's lap and handed him back the joint with one hand as he leaned forward and kissed him, his mouth open against B's open mouth.

Beyond kissed back while putting out the joint in the sand and then he laughed a bit into L's mouth, making the younger boy smile,

"What…" he asked looking down at B while he continued kissing him.

Beyond returned grinned,

"You could have brought those choc chip cookies out with you, greedy shit…" he laughed.

L laughed too.

* * *

L half stumbled down the large staircase of his house in his still sleepy state, he'd just started to doze off when he heard the sound of the motorcycle bringing its guest to arrival…who he'd called almost a half hour ago.

Pushing his untidy ink black hair out of his face L slid foot by foot lazily across the tiled floor of the entrance hall in his socks until he reached the doors and opened one, stepping outside in the warm afternoon sun and looking at

Beyond several meters away.

The other dark haired boy was removing his helmet when L walked across the white gravel to get to him, keeping his toes curled in since the ground was sort of hot and he hobbled over to B,

"You only took forever to get here." He said by way of greeting.

Beyond turned to glance at him before leaving the helmet on the seat and turning to L,

"Are you kidding? I was forty five minutes away and got here in twenty…" he gave L a 'so fuck you' look and L rolled his eyes and scratched his abdomen under his shirt lazily.

His clothes, shirt and dark jeans, were creased from where he'd been half asleep on his bed just five minutes ago. He'd been doing nothing all morning avoiding Wammy and the affectionately dubbed 'fuckface' who was more commonly referred to Roger.

"How long ago did they leave?" Beyond enquired as he glanced around what he could see of the front of the property.

L turned and started walking back toward the door,

"I think fuckface left a few hours ago but Wammy left about a half hour ago…"

"When is he going again?"

L knew Beyond was talking about his grandfather,

"I think in a week or so…" L didn't really care, Wammy never bothered him unnecessarily, he just tended to put a damper on L having pot in the house, which was entirely sulk worthy to the seventeen year old.

It was after all his favorite toy.

"I thought he'd wait until after the Test Exam Results come through." B commented as they entered and were out of the sun, he closed the door behind himself and slipped his motorcycle keys in to his loose jeans pocket.

L did a lazy whirl to face B right before the bottom of the stairs,

"Are you implying that I might disappoint him?" he asked dully as he watched B.

"I'm saying that you might have flunked it just to see him steam is all…"

"Too right you are." L grinned.

B gaped, about as much as possible and L nearly laughed,

"Are you saying you did?"

The younger boy shrugged in his lazy hunched way and started walking up the stairs sideways, Beyond following,

"Alas, I did not…." He sighed dramatically, "…but I wanted to. Just do th thing all through the test…" he laughed and Beyond did as well.

"I've done that…"

"Yes…but you're a lucky lazy bastard who doesn't face having his inheritance plucked…" L gestured plucking quite pointedly as he reached the top of the stairs ahead of B, "…from his hands mercilessly."

"You could always just kill him." Beyond said nonchalantly as he stared up at L, leveling with him after a moment on the top.

L seemed to consider this within easy seconds as they continued up to the third level and then he shook his head and his wide grey eyes became lazier, hands deep in his pockets,

"I'd be the prime suspect…my inheritance would be the motive, Roger would testify against me – in the process revealing all the times I told Wammy to just die, or get out of my life already –aaaaaand…" he blinked, "…where there would be no evidence I would certainly have to run away or spend the next twenty years of my life in and out of courts…"

"That's about right…" Beyond smirked, "…I believe that's why we agreed not to do it last year."

"Yes yes…" L mumbled and he and Beyond laughed a bit about their yearly revolution that never came.

L truly hated Roger, he didn't hate his Grandfather but the man's unwavering trust in Roger made him nauseous.

It was a mixture of things though, aside from the fact that L was certain Roger had something to do with his father's suicide, L was also really pissed off that Quillsh took it upon himself to lawfully adopt L when his parents will had suggested that if L was of adequate age –sixteen- then he could be emancipated.

The mistake his duck brained father had made was stipulating that the judgement of L's adequacy fall on Quillsh Wammy's capable judgement.

This was how L was weaseled into remaining in family custody until he was 18 and thereafter, if Quillsh had his way, he would be bound by an inheritance contract written up by Quillsh's lawyers leaving him little to now options –unless he wanted to forfeit his significant family millions- but to attend University to his full term and acquire all relevant degrees and then some at which time he would be about 30…maybe 31 and then he'd finally be free.

Of course…L hadn't signed that contract yet…

And had no intention of **ever** signing his life away to some old bastard. L knew that when he turned 18 he would have access to at least half of his inheritance…and to quite honest, 400 million dollars was sufficient.

Wammy could stuff the rest and all his own billions, he could also stuff his ridiculous will he'd written for L to inherit…everything, when he kicked the bucket.

400 million? Yeah…he'd be giving up a shit load of money, property and shares but he'd be rich enough to never work again.

The only other problem L really had was that if he forfeited his full inheritance from his parents and from his grandfather…then he thought he knew exactly who'd be waiting in line…

They had entered the room and Beyond pulled his shirt off,

"It's hot outside…" he sat on L's bed and glanced at L locking the door and removing the key.

L looked at him shirtless and promptly removed his own shirt as he approached B, getting into his knees beside the other as he settled into a sideways sitting position,

"Did you bring anything?" L asked as he laid down with his face stuffed into his untidy lumped up sheets.

"I scored some poppers but my guy was out so I couldn't get anything proper…I called Mello to ask him but his phone was off." Beyond laid back on his elbows and dug into his pocket for a small palm size plastic bottle wrapped in product red plastic hiding its half-filled liquid contents.

L laughed at the drug but it didn't bother him,

"That's fine…as long as it gets me high and makes me horny…" he sat up and watched Beyond unscrew the cap with a grin,

"I thought just seeing me did the trick…"

"Yes, but talking about Roger makes me temporarily A sexual…"

Beyond chuckled at that as L took the small bottle in his thin fingers and sat up properly next to Beyond, closing one nostril with a finger and bringing the bottle to his other he inhaled deeply, and then did it again and handed the bottle back to Beyond who did the same before closing it and dropping the plastic bottle onto the floor, turning to L.

The younger male had lied back down and was waiting for the warm rush to come over him, it was always pleasant. He didn't like poppers since it was a fleeting high but it worked well and relaxed him.

Beyond leaned over his and started kissing his neck.

This was the only time he could come over to L's place, when both Roger and Wammy were gone.

Ever since that fateful day when roger had caught Beyond smoking weed behind the garage house he'd been forever banned from returning. So while L was banned from seeing him –as if that were possible- they'd managed to find ways to get Beyond to come around L's place whenever occasionally, just to go against the rules obviously, since they saw each other all the time.

Beyond worked his kisses up to L's mouth…

* * *

**This scene has been removed in accordance with FF content guidelines, for the full chapter see my FF profile page and follow the AO3 link.**

* * *

Beyond kissed L's shoulder and his hand played over L's flat lightly toned stomach and L just smiled, enjoying the attention as always did.

Beyond and Matt were the only two who had topped him…in his life.

Everyone else L slept with he topped.

And even then, Matt didn't top him like B did and L had topped Matt before as well…based on a bet he'd lost to L.

But that one time counted.

L smirked at the thought as he rolled over and kissed Beyond's warm sweat sheened neck.

Beyond on the other could not be topped.

He'd never been bottom as far as L knew.

And he believed it.

They kissed for a while.

Eventually L slid off the sheets and crouched down to his jeans to extract his lighter then walked around to the other side of his bed, opening his draw and lifting out his cigarettes. Beyond had repositioned himself against the headboard and he took a cigarette from the box L held out and then it ended up on the floor.

L climbed back on to the bed and sat leaning against B's chest.

L lit his cigarette and then tilted his head to the side to light B's where it hung from his mouth.

In no time they were squinting into the smoke floating around their heads and Beyond was playing his fingers through L's hair while L relaxed back with his elbow up on B's bent knee and his cigarette up in the air.

It was silent for a while and then Beyond mumbled something against L's hair and L smiled,

"I love you too."

They finished off their cigarettes and lay that way for a while, L was certain Beyond had fallen asleep, his hand still now inside L's hair and L himself was on his way to sleep, but he cleared his throat and sat forward, hearing a deep intake of breath from behind him, he knew B had been asleep.

He turned around and leaned back, an arm on B's side to support himself as he lay sideways between B's legs and he kissed his chest, then his chin,

"You have to go…"

Beyond nodded lazily and stretched a bit,

"I know…"

L kissed his lips and B responded before they shifted and both got off the bed.

"This is so much easier when we're at my place…" Beyond supplied as he glanced over himself before pulling his jeans up, he'd shower when he reached home.

"I know…" L said as he pulled only his boxers on since he wouldn't be going anywhere.

Neither said anything since they'd had that conversation before.

L had yet to come to the conclusion Beyond wanted, although he knew what the other wanted and wanted it as well, but unless he figured out what he was going to do with his inheritance and Wammy's contract, he couldn't just move into his own place yet.

He loved the idea though of having his freedom and privacy like they did when at any of the others places.

He sighed and Beyond, fully dressed, came over and gave him a quick kiss.

L licked his lip where B bit him and blinked,

"What are we doing tonight?" he asked vaguely looking up at the slightly taller male.

Beyond hunched when he shrugged and L pushed a hand through his hair to untidy it further, making Beyond shove him and L –all the cleverness of him- fell over his feet and landed on his ass.

So he groaned accordingly and Beyond snickered before sitting at the foot of the bed and extending a hand, L took it and got up, sitting beside B with a grimace.

"Well…" he brought a leg up and scratched his ankle.

"How about we fetch Light and take him to a male strip club…I get such a kick out of watching him huff and puff like a little dragon." B grinned.

L grinned too,

"That sounds like fun actually, we should buy him a dancer…"

"And then tell them to the bare it all, ass in face routine…"

"…and…it should be some really muscly guy on steroids…"

By now they were snickering at Light's expense.

"It's brilliant when he gets mad, it fucking adorable." L said after he'd finished laughing.

"I'd have to agree, although he's not my type…" Beyond admitted.

"Hm I know…that's entirely why you never slept with Matt."

Beyond gave him a side look,

"…I never told you that."

"You didn't have to…I know you well enough. You're far too platonic with him…it's obvious…" L concluded, "…what is it though, is it the hair?" he wondered because the hair cut was about the only thing they had in common.

B laughed,

"That's not true…I think Matt is attractive same as you guys but he and I started from a different place…"

"You mean the fighting in school and all that…"

"Yeah…" Beyond nodded, "…Matt and I are friends in the very literal sense of the word, there's no room for anything else."

L nodded,

"So what about Light?" L raised his eyebrows, "…why isn't he your type?"

"He's too fake…" Beyond sounded bored, "…maybe after a year or so…when you've screwed the bullshit out of him then I'll try him out…"

L smiled,

"Assuming he sticks around…he's very inadaptable…always over thinking things."

"He's too technical…"

"That's true…"

"He needs to realize that the world does not revolve around him and that everyone is not conspiring against him."

"Except us…"

"Yes, exactly, but our conspiracy is purely driven by our immaturity and need to see him squirm."

"And why not, life is short and Light is easy provoked?"

"Right you are….so…strip club tonight?" Beyond bumped shoulders with L.

"We'll go to Big Boy House…that place has brick shit houses dancing there…" L decided.

Beyond laughed,

"Bring a camera at least, his expression will be priceless…" he said as he kissed L and then stood up, "…I'll see myself out and I'll see you later at about 8?" he walked over to the door.

L nodded and smiled,

"Later then…"

L sighed and leaned back on the bed, waiting a few minutes without moving until he heard the distant sound of Beyond's motorcycle start up.

Then he got up and walked over to the Italian sofa in his room and leaned over the square leather back to reach his cell phone next to game controllers on the seat. He checked his messages and saw one of Mello early that morning telling him some dirty joke.

L laughed quietly and he stepped over the back of the sofa and sat in a crouch on the other side, leaning back as he closed the messages and went through his contact list to bring up Light's number, he hadn't seen Light in almost two weeks, having not been bothering with staying at school for more than an hour and the test exams.

He smiled in amusement wondering what Light would think of L taking the test exam, he wondered how Light would react when he eventually found out, he would at some point, discover that L was not an idiot like he made it so obvious that he thought by the looks he gave L sometimes.

It'd be good for a laugh, no doubt.

He decided he wouldn't call Light, it was far more fun to randomly surprise him after all.

Deciding that L tossed his phone beside him and picked up his controller next to him and blinked up at the screen with his character in midway swing of his powerful sword, clicking the pause button the surround sound speakers let out the loud blaring volume of music and he continued his game.

He had at least three hours before he should start getting ready to go out.

* * *

L drove along the street to Light's house and saw the streets were full of cars and passing further on he spotted a house two doors from the Yagami residence full of people, clearly a party.

L was half tempted to crash the noisy affair but then, what fun would crashing a party be without Matt, he was the best at it with his goofy 'I totally know you man' smile he'd give the host when they were spotted drinking up all the party siders.

Good times.

So instead of parking across the street L had no choice but to turn into Light's driveway and pull up behind Mr. Yagami's car, which was not inside the double garage.

Finding his spot suitable he switched the car off and got out, slipping a pack of gum out of his pocket as he got out and popping a stick into his mouth, he had to get rid of the air of smoke around him and the smell that clung to him.

Light's parents wouldn't get close enough to smell it but he figured keeping Light's parents happy with him was crucial to Light coming out to 'hang' with L that night, so just in case.

He shut his car door with a bump as he checked his cell phone while walking across the grass -ignoring the obvious path- and then jumping up the few steps to the Yagami household open platform porch.

L rang the doorbell once and continued to respond to the message Beyond had sent him while his other hand was in his black jeans pocket.

When the door opened L glanced up from his phone and offered Mrs. Yagami his best 'Hi' smile, of course L kept teeth out of it because as straight and expensively kept as they were, it made him look like a right nut job when he grinned with his teeth.

"Hello Mrs. Yagami…I was hoping I could see Light, is he here?" he enquired politely.

She was smiling in her 'I like this young man' way, like an evil predatory mother trying to catch her daughter a nice boy.

L had to admit, Sayu was a cute little thing, but facing facts…Light got the best bit of the looks in this family and frankly while L didn't mind a nice pretty girl to fool around with, he much preferred everything on guys.

"How nice to see you, L. Please come in…Light is inside. We were just finishing up dinner." she gestured for him to enter so he did, taking two steps inside and sweeping his eyes over the five pairs of shoes on the floor.

L's mind started whirring as it usually did when something piqued his curiosity.

"I hope I'm not interrupting." he said as an automatic response before closing his mouth to chew his gum and looking at her smiling face,

"Oh no, it's fine. We're having a guest over anyway so it's no problem…come inside…" she gestured to his loose untied sneakers with her hands and so L automatically slipped his feet out of them.

Wearing a pair of his favorite star wars socks.

He walked into the house behind Sachiko lazily,

"L…" she glanced at him, "…what is your name?" she was frowning though it was a curious pleasant one.

As they walked into the living room L blinked down at her,

"It's L, Mrs. Yagami…just the letter." he made an L in the air with his slender finger rather cursive like and she giggled.

Old ladies. Pft, what won't they giggle about…?

"L…good to see you, how have you been?" Soichiro's gruff voice made L look away from the shorter lady to the larger man and he extended his hand and took the one offered for a quick greeting shake and pat on his shoulder.

"I'd like to think I'm alright, Mr. Yagami." he responded and received a fatherly smile.

"Keep your head up, life begins after graduation…Light!" he called in the direction of the kitchen.

"L!" Sayu had leapt from her seat and came over to the greeting parents.

In a random moment of excitement she forgot about her parents L assumed because she stood on her toes and with her arms around his neck she hugged him.

L supposed it was because he hadn't agreed to hang out with her once in the past weeks when she texted him.

Soichiro cleared his throat and she pulled back quickly, L hadn't made any move to hug her for the same reason and she blushed,

"Sorry…" she glanced at her father and then L who just smiled at her pleasantly.

"L…" Sachiko caught their attention from the awkward moment knowing Sayu liked L.

L had already turned to look at the young girl standing by one of the living room couches by herself, "…this is Kiyomi Takada, Light's girlfriend." Sachiko sounded thrilled.

"Yes, she attends the same school, do you know her?" Soichiro looked between them, dismissing Sayu's rather western behavior in favor of introducing Light's pretty girlfriend.

L looked over her lazily and neutrally but Kiyomi's eyes were sharp and slightly wider than normal, anxiety, shock…L mentally surmised that her heart rate was likely increased and she was uncomfortable.

Naturally this called for some subtle provocation.

She had raised her hand in a lax effort at greeting,

"Yes, I do know Kiyomi, I met her only once. Regretfully Light hadn't bothered to mention her to me." he chose his words carefully.

He knew full well the parents would take it as Light was being secretive and keeping it from his friends but Kiyomi would interpret the word 'bother' in the way it was intended.

Bother - **make effort: **to take the time or trouble to do something.

And he saw the slight upturn of her small lady like chin, glad he could offend her so easily.

"L…" Light's voice carried rather confidently over and L turned his round somewhat wide in innocence eyes to gaze at his 'buddy' standing with a tray of coffees and teas in his manicured hands.

Light and his strange fancies.

"Light you should make an extra cup for L." Sachiko walked over to Light to take the tray, but not without brushing a fond hand over L's arm as she went.

Light noticed which was expected, the boy was pretty sharp, but more importantly, Kiyomi noticed.

Then Soichiro patted his shoulder again,

"Yes, have some coffee with us, or tea…you prefer tea…" Soichiro had remembered.

L was touched and Kiyomi was confused.

L assumed, from a conversation he vaguely remembered having with Light a while back -honestly, Light flustered a lot, it was hard to remember everything he went into drama mode about -when Light had mentioned Kiyomi being suspicious.

Now she was Light's girlfriend.

That was a heck of an adjustment to make.

He wondered the motive and many ideas occurred to him as he was told to sit down after watching Light's eye twitch furiously before he disappeared back into the kitchen.

Light was clever.

L knew this.

L sat down on the armrest of the couch Kiyomi was sitting on since he really didn't plan on sticking around too long, if Light was gonna play boyfriend/girlfriend then he'd be on his way and they would just change their plans.

"So how have you been L, we should really meet your parents…" Sachiko trailed off to sip her tea.

L blinked,

"Yes at some point." Totally non-committal. That would never happen.

Light came back in to the lounge very quickly and was holding a cup of tea on a saucer, purely to not seem like he was deliberately rude to his 'guest' L assumed. Light's face appeared as pleasant as ever but L knew how badly he wanted to frown or scowl even as he curled his lips up into a smile when he handed the tea over.

L wanted to laugh but he merely offered the same lame smile to Light, the two looking rather odd smiling so pleasantly at each other. Sachiko and Soichiro weren't particularly interested as they reached for the coconut biscuits on the tray but when Light turned away after L took his tea, he glanced at Light's back and then swept his eyes over the room's occupants.

Kiyomi and Sayu both seemed to frown at their tense interaction.

Awkward. L dealt very well with awkward situations, purely because he was immune to them.

"Light, you didn't introduce me formally to Kiyomi Takada, your parents informed me that she's your girlfriend?" apathetic lazy gray eyes rolled over to her shining blue contacts as she gave him a side look, trying to appear calm in all her straight seated posture in front of Light.

Light really did bring out the worst pretenses in people.

Light had decided to stand, conveniently avoiding sitting beside his 'girlfriend' and having to talk at an awkward angle to L, at least like this they were across from each other, eyes able to watch the others face.

L enjoyed Light's mood swings and competitiveness rather thoroughly.

"I haven't seen you in a while and it's only recently been made official when I asked her." Light responded from behind his teacup, looking like a suspicious ninja.

L nearly asked if they'd 'consummated it' but he knew better, Soichiro wouldn't like that comment.

So he nodded,

"Good for you Light." He took a large sip of his tea, which L nearly spat out when he realized there was no sugar in it.

He simply swallowed it with a low grimace.

Light was smiling behind his ninja cup.

Kiyomi could see this and was wondering what the personal joke was,

"Sayu, could you pass me the sugar?" L asked her specifically and she hopped to it.

"Will you be staying for a while, we were going to talk for a while, getting to know Kiyomi." Sachiko, ever the host.

L had taken the bowl of sugar from Sayu and without making eye contact with Light he added sufficient sugar –everyone counted all 8 sugars- and then he stirred it in his dainty way which contradicted everything about his lax appearance.

"No, thank you. I came over to see if Light was free to go out for a while but he's busy."

L sipped his tea with more interest now and glanced at Sayu who looked away and blushed.

Everyone had glanced at Light when L spoke and he finally moved his cup,

"Dinner is over though." He cast a glance at his parents.

L nearly laughed.

Of course Light wanted to get away from here, he'd been there for ten minutes and he was choking.

Kiyomi, who hadn't said anything up until right then, blinked her pretty eyes rapidly,

"Light-o?" it was a question.

Light didn't falter though, L watched as he turned his conniving and sweet eyes to his 'girlfriend',

"It will only be for a few hours, I haven't spent time with any friends since before the exam." He turned those same eyes to his parents, "…if it's alright with you mom and dad."

That tone of voice made L bubble with amusement as he sipped his tea, an eyebrow raised in fascination at this display.

He hadn't realized how Light managed to work this 'sweet boy' routine but it was with ample grace from what he was witnessing.

Kiyomi had that expression again and L knew she was angry inside.

Sachiko looked to Soichiro and Sayu glanced at Kiyomi and then Light.

The amount of thoughts floating around and the expressions on everyone's faces were entertaining; L had never seen so much misplaced emotions in the same room. The people he knew didn't have this sort of thing…how did Light live with this?

Soichiro looked over to L and frowned just a bit as making a decision based on L then he nodded,

"I think its fine, but only for a few hours." He checked his watch, "…it almost seven now, we'll expect you home by eleven."

"Whaaaa! Sore wa kōheide wa nai!" _(That is not fair!)_ Sayu whined.

"Sayu." Sachiko tipped her head at her daughter and with a huff she settled back from her outburst with her arms firmly across her chest and a pout on her face.

"Thanks Dad…" Light blinked in mock compassion for his sister and then gave Kiyomi a small smile –which had little to no effect right then when L sat just beside her smiling behind his cup.

They all sipped at the same time then, like they were in sync for the moment of silence and then Sachiko smiled and clinked her cup into the saucer,

"So L, do you have a girlfriend?"

That was a potentially damaging question, considering Kiyomi was in the room and what she apparently knew.

But L didn't panic…why would he? He honestly didn't care if she told them he fucked guys.

The only person he kept his personal activities from was Quillsh and his lap dog…and his sister.

Everyone else didn't matter.

Of course, it would get him banned from the Yagami household but he'd survive it.

Light would have to make a plan to see them.

Which L didn't doubt he would, he was addicted now…to his potential freedom.

He smiled,

"No, I don't have one." His voice was laced with indifference and everyone heard it.

Kiyomi raised that little chin of hers again and gave L a fake smile of her own, cheeky. He looked down at her sitting just below him on the couch, waiting for her to…make Light angry.

"L, I heard that you have different interests." She piped up, L noticed her improved English and he nodded,

"Indeed, far different." He agreed casually.

"What interests are those?" surprisingly Sayu asked this question.

L knew Light was sure to be getting a little worried now, jealous girlfriend and sister both zoning in.

Kiyomi decided to answer,

"I believe his interests lie with -…"

"School!" Light's voice raised just enough to drown out Kiyomi's soft spoken words and she frowned at him, Sayu gave him a look as well.

His parents looked at him and L tilted his head curiously watching Light's eyes close calmly as he no doubt gathered himself for another great act,

"L's been trying to get his grades up…" Light gave Kiyomi a subtle look that translated as 'no thank you'.

Like saying fuck you while smiling.

L blinked and his eyes widened as he watched Light create a rather unfounded lie,

"…so he hasn't been too interested in anything else. I'm surprised he came by tonight…" he gave L a completely innocent look of good natured friendship.

L blinked at Light, he might have been offended about being labeled a failing idiot if he wasn't witnessing this far too amusing set up.

"Oh…" Soichiro looked at L, "…you should ask Light to help you L." he offered.

L licked his lips to stop himself from laughing, he had to get out of there before he lost his composure.

Light didn't seem much better.

That had been such a bad lie.

And all they wanted to do was laugh.

Improvisation…not always a good idea.

"Yes, perhaps I should take advantage of Light's gift and ask him to tutor me?" he tipped his head at Light, smiling.

"I wouldn't mind." Light smiled back.

"After school?"

"Perfect."

Light turned to his parents,

"Will that be alright?"

They were both partially confused but smiling,

"Of course, Light. I'd like to see L prosper just like you will." Soichiro said confidently.

L bit his lip to stop a smile.

Light allowed himself to smile in the direction of his parents.

Despite being made to look like he was flunking, Light had just set them up to have a few dates.

L would make him pay for this little insult and it would be so much fun.

He didn't need tutoring…so they'd just have some private spare time.

Sachiko agreed it was a great idea and offered L her sincerest good luck wishes.

Sayu seemed calm all of a sudden…like she knew something, she smiled at L.

L smiled back.

Kiyomi seemed to find Light's face very interesting right then and Light simply ignored her and started to clear the cups.

This house was like being at a masked party. Everyone's true thoughts and intentions hidden behind fancy eloquent masks.

The only one not wearing a mask was Sachiko, L concluded, since he saw something akin to suspicion in Soichiro's face as he looked at Kiyomi and L. Naturally he'd be suspicious, he was a top cop, it was second nature.

If Light had thought things were tricky before, he had no idea what a huge pile of shit he'd just stepped in.

He was knee deep in it now.

Kiyomi attended their school and knew Mikami, who knew quite a lot about L's academics.

Sayu didn't look too clueless either…and since Light had mentioned she was in contact with Misa, L didn't doubt Misa could have mentioned everything she knew about L.

Then there was the obvious…the test exam results would be released in a few days…to all the parents of the students who partook.

He'd love to see Light talk his way out of that one.

"We should get going…" Light emerged from the kitchen and L had been lost to the idle conversation Sachiko was making with Kiyomi and Sayu while Soichiro tried to figure whatever was bothering him out.

He stood up and Kiyomi did as well,

"We'll walk you home Kiyomi…" Light held his hand out and she took it, even though her expression hadn't really changed.

Light didn't bother to fetch a jacket despite his mother's suggestion and they all ended up outside on the porch, goodbye's going between Kiyomi and Light's family while L leaned against the wooden beam next to the stairs, itching to smoke.

Families made him so annoyed.

When she was done with that she turned to Light and latched onto his hand, they all said goodbye to L, minus the hugs and bows and finally they were descending the few steps.

L and Light didn't say anything to one another, neither had anything to say really.

It had been a near disaster in there for a moment.

They reached the end of the path when Soichiro's voice made them all turn around,

"Whose car is that?" he asked and glanced at them, Sayu was standing with him, Sachiko had gone back inside.

L didn't hesitate and he raised his hand lazily,

"It's mine."

All three of them saw the confusion –most likely similar to Light's the first time- when L said this.

L turned to carry on walking and Light waved at his father a final time before they continued after L.

The door closed at the front of the house and Kiyomi's hand slipped from Light's.

L pretended not to notice as he ruffled his hair then stuck his hands into the pockets of his dark jeans he wore with a black short sleeve T shirt, since it was warm outside.

Light glanced at her but made no move to reconnect their fingers.

They walked in silence and L broke off from them when his cell phone rang but he didn't go far.

He saw it was Quillsh calling so he ended the call and decided he'd ignore all further interferences from the old git.

He glanced at the 'couple' and saw Kiyomi shaking her head as she said something.

Light seemed to have lost most of his pretense and he shrugged and shook his head.

Without saying anything further, she turned on her heel and walked up the path to her house.

Light half rolled his eyes and he came over, L watching him with apathy.

They started walking back to the car and as L knew he would, Light spoke first,

"Asshole."

L smiled,

"As original as ever."

"That could have gone very badly." Light smiled.

"It has potential to still do so Light-kun."

"…I know." Light responded.

They reached the car after some more silence and Light opened the passenger door but stopped to look at L across the top of the car,

"Where are we going?"

L sighed at this typical question,

"Light…you truly do ask the very worst questions." He responded back as he usually did when not interested in answering.

With a huff and puff…Light got into the car.

Just like L knew he would.


	20. Poprocks & Coke THE NEW CHAPTER

**AN DUN DUN DUN THE NEW CHAPTER**

**(This will mean something to anyone who was reading this story before it was deleted)**  
**I missed writing MuTT xD**  
**Enjoy and leave me your thoughts!**

**This chapter has been edited in accordance with FF content guidelines :|**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

* * *

"Stop moving around!" Mello's irritated mumble was followed by an elbow into Matt's unprotected ribs, although as often as Mello physically assaulted him, he didn't feel it much, making an irritated grimace before grabbing onto the blondes black shirt tightly when he felt his balance wane.

"You're gonna make us fall, Mello." Matt mumbled back.

"Not me, you'll be the one jerk off, squirming around like that…" the blonde glanced at the red head over his shoulder.

Matt frowned,

"My ass hurts, it's not exactly comfortable dipshit."

"Suck it up, sissy!" he said in a harsh whisper.

Deciding it was as good a time as ever, Matt gripped Mello's shirt which he held for balance and kicked the back of Mello's right sneakered foot, making Mello sway and grab onto the- thinner than was safe- branch extended between his skinny jean clad legs.

"The fuck are you doing?!" he raised his voice only slightly and gripped the branch so he could try and angle a kick back at Matt, who avoided this and used his grip on Mello to keep the blonde from managing to get it right…snickering all the while.

"Bastard!" Mello was growling lowly since he didn't manage to kick Matt back.

At that entirely inappropriate time to be fighting, being that they were in a tree, a little over 10 feet above ground, perched on a precarious branch extending to be a meter short of a older teenage girl's bedroom window, they failed to notice immediately that the very same girl had entered her room at some point, until they heard music coming from the ajar window.

They stiffened, Mello leaned back into Matt, his back to the other boys chest, Matt's hands tightened on his shirt and Matt's legs stiffened at his sides, neither breathed for a moment.

The objective was not to get caught, after all.

They watched her move around, her lace and drapes partially opened.

They'd been planning it all week and had waited until a day when her window and curtains were open. She was a popular senior girl from school, with a sizeable chest and a sleazy reputation.

"You better be right about this…" Mello didn't have to look at Matt to convey his threat, his tone hushed.

"Hey, I just told you what I overheard the guys at school say." Matt defended, he wasn't in the mood to be gut punched later for wrong information.

"How did that dick know anyway?" Mello fiddled with the digital camera hanging around his neck while he watched through the window, nothing was happening at the moment.

"I think he dated her or something…or fucked her or something…or knows someone who fucked her…" Matt leaned his chin on Mello's shoulder.

"So in other words, you don't know." The blonde deadpanned, leaning a hand on Matt's blue jeaned thigh at his side to get better balance and relieve his ass of some of the pain of sitting on a narrow branch for a half hour.

"Well how wrong could they be, she's a slut, everyone knows that." He defended again, frowning in irritation at the side of Mello's thin 15 year old face.

"If she doesn't whip out a dildo or a vibrator soon I'm shoving this camera up your ass." Mello said with a little too much conviction and Matt looked to the window, seriously hoping what he'd heard was true.

The senior boy had clearly said –not knowing Matt sitting not far away had good enough acoustics in the detention class to hear the conversation and he was straining too out of boredom- that she, quote: "Loves dick, she told me that every afternoon after school, right before she takes a shower, she puts her 7 inch vibrator to use…" – unquote. He'd gone on to elaborate that she'd showed him how she does it.

Now of course, Matt knew it could be a lie in part but when he'd told Mello about it the blonde had voiced the idea that it would be nice to post it on the internet right before graduation if they could get footage of it…and added that it'd be hot to masturbate to, both ideas had been appealing to Matt, who went on to suggest that they follow through.

All thumbs up.

Most sensible way they could think of to spend an afternoon.

Which lead to this a week later

At present it seemed less than worth it, she'd disappeared from sight and with the cool breeze under his loose white shirt, filtering through the trees shade in the usually too hot weather of Los Angeles, Matt was ready to fall asleep with his chin on Mello's shoulder. The faint smell of rich fruity shampoo in Mello's shoulder length blonde hair brushing against his face as the wind disturbed it lulled him.

Then Mello's elbow was back in his ribs and he gripped the shirt again in case he fell,

"Quit it…" he grumbled right before looking through the window ahead of them and, damnit, she looked showered already, "…shit." He mumbled and nibbled on a small crease in Mello's shirt, knowing he'd have a bruise in his stomach later, Mello loved gut punching him.

The girl had either not done anything, or she'd carried out her masturbation in her bathroom and then showered.

"…fucking seniors…why are their sex stories never what it's cracked up to be…?" Mello sounded more tired than angry and Matt hoped he wasn't angry by some miracle.

They watched as she took her towel off and walked around naked while she looked through her wardrobe.

They both blinked before Mello raised his camera with a soft curse, naked pictures would still work as long term post graduation trauma.

Matt frowned,

"She's not that hot…that girl who gives the morning assembly speeches…the one from the 11th grade, she's hotter."

Mello was clicking away and he smiled,

"The girl who you said makes you nauseous cause she smells like bananas." He reminded.

"Yeah…" Matt looked away from the dressing girl and closed his eyes, his warm breath had made a damp patch on Mello's shirt where he was speaking; he turned so his nose was against Mello's neck, his expression utterly lazy.

"What kind of girls do you like, Matt?" he asked, leaning forward a bit to see better and Matt's nose was now on the back of his neck.

"Blonde's…" he mumbled, "…small chests, skinny...fair…" he was mumbling to the back of Mello's neck, "…and you?" he asked back harmlessly.

Mello hummed,

"…I think I like the same…except darker hair is better."

"You think?" Matt frowned.

He felt Mello shrug,  
"…s'long as they're pretty and well proportioned."

"Huh…I always thought you'd be fussier. You fuss about your own looks about as much as a girl does…" he shared an observation and this time when he was elbowed he'd been too off unguarded to balance himself.

"Fuck!" he shouted and grabbed at Mello's shoulders as he swayed sideways.

"Shit, Matt!" Mello yelled in concern and fright as he clutched with his arms at the tree branch between his legs to try and get some balance for both of them.

Matt was trying to hang on and bring himself back up but then everything went wrong.

"Little fucking pricks! Daaaaaaaaad!" the girl was at the window now fully dressed, having heard them shout and now seen the camera dangling from Mello's neck, she yelled at the top of her lungs.

"What the hell! Shut up!" Mello, ever the rational, screamed right back at her just as Matt exclaimed in a panic,

"What the fuck is her dad doing home!" which was followed by his slipping grip to result in the inevitable follow through of gravity.

Just before her father reached her bedroom door to see their panicked startled faces, Mello slipped sideways with Matt, the whole world and the girl's bright red face and flailing brown hair all tilting as the branch was no longer beneath him, and Matt's hands on his shoulders disappeared.

It was a matter of seconds, Matt hit the ground heavily on his side and Mello tried to hook onto the branch with his leg as he reeled sideways, but to no avail and seconds later he too collided with the ground, also on his side but with his right arm underneath him and the camera hit the ground too, still around his neck.

"Fuck…fuuuuck!" he shouted.

"Mello, you ok?!" Matt sat up with a bit of a grimace, looking at his friend a few feet beside him.

Neither had time to answer or yell because a man appeared above them at the girl's window,

"I'll kick the shit out of you little fuckers!"

On instinct, both boys skittered to their feet, sneakers slipping on green dry grass as they took off in a run off the lawn at the side of the fenceless house and onto the pavement.

Mello's pain was forgotten for the moment as he clutched his right arm and ran as fast as his skinny legs could take him, Matt was just in front of him, glancing back to make sure Mello was there.

There was yelling up the street from the man but ultimately he could not catch them if his life had depended on it and once they hit the corner into Mello's street three blocks down, they were home free.

Out of breath the two of them sat down on the pavement ledge and Mello groaned and clutched his arm at the elbow,

"…aaaaaaaahhhh…aaaaaaah, fucking biiiiiiitch!" Mello was saying as he rocked back and forth, his face about as angry as was humanly possible.

Matt was less fit apparently cause he was lacking more breath than Mello, then again, hitting the ground had winded him significantly.

Matt held his side as he leaned forward, putting his forehead on his knees before looking over at Mello beside him,

"Is the camera ok?" he asked hopefully.

"**What!**" unfortunately, Matt was on Mello's left side and he received a solid back fist in his chest from the angry blonde, "…my fucking arm is fucking broken you asshole!"

Again hurt, his breath stuck in his throat, he frowned and kicked Mello's leg. Mello was not deterred and he kicked Matt back harder.

"Mello! Damnit!" he yelled and he grabbed Mello's good arm before he got punched in the face as an after thought, "…if the camera isn't broken we still have the pictures, we can get her back!" he explained.

Neither cared about the random kids cycling and walking by or the cars and the people in their yards who stared. This was Mello's street, every body knew the loud, raucous blonde who was in fights every other day and his red haired neighbour friend who mismatched his clothes and had been expelled from several schools, a lot of the time without a disclosed reason, since he was 11.

An irreverent pair they were.

"I don't give a godamned fucking jesus christ's shit! My arm is fucking broken!" Mello yelled.

"You're acting like a bitch!" Matt yelled back and a mother somewhere was covering her youngest child's ears.

"Fuck you!" Mello quite literally turned to his side to kick Matt in the shoulder, neck or face, whichever landed.

Matt was a little quicker, only getting half kicked when he jumped up and weaved to avoid it.

He nearly fell over though and was about to go over and smack Mello as hard as he could before running again when a black Mazda pulled up in front of them.

"MIHAEL KEEHL! WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO YOU!" Mello's dark blonde, blue eyed, tall and rather skinny mother was already out of her car and grabbing Mello's –luckily- left arm to lift him off the ground.

"Whaaaa-aaaaaah, it fucking hurts mom, quit it!" he yelled at her when she rattled him,

"Don't swear at me! Get in the damn car!" she yelled right back in his face.

Matt had hoped she wouldn't notice him but alas she did,

"You too, Mail!" of course, guilty by association, she always yelled at him too.

That's exactly where Mello got his ways from.

Mello had stumbled over to the car with a pout that somehow made him look like he'd kill someone and Matt, trying to avoid the woman's bony vice grip, weaved his way around her and got into the back seat next to Mello and some grocery bags.

She was a force to be reckoned with though, she had three kids and all of them, to Matt's knowledge, were either loud, forceful or dangerous and sometimes they would be all of that…all at once. Yet as a stay home mother she handled it like a pro.

In the car Matt was staring pointedly out of the window, not looking to get involved in the inevitable screaming match.

"What's wrong with your arm? Why are you bleeding?!" she yelled, glancing back at her feral son, her long hair in its pony tail whipping around with her head.

"It's broken!" he shouted back, although he was guessing from the pain.

"How did you break your arm!" she yelled louder.

"Matt pulled me out of a tree!" he shot his quiet friend a vengeful glare.

"I did fucking not!" he jumped right in the only way he knew how and glared at Mello.

"You fucking did!" the blonde spat right back.

"It's your fault you dumbass, you kept elbowing me!"

"Because you're stupid and you say stupid shit! You called me a girl!"

"I never fucking said that!"

"Don't fucking lie, Matt!"

They both never mentioned why they'd been in a tree. They both would never get each other in serious trouble.

"Shut the fuck up! Enough fucking swearing you little punks!" she yelled right over their newly broken in voices.

There was silence for a while as they drove then Mello frowned,

"Where are we going?"

"To the emergency room, you need a cast." She said evenly.

Shrugging Mello peeked into the grocery bags next to him and pulled out a bag of Dorito's, shoving it at Matt who knew well enough that Mello was asking him to open it. So he did and they ate it finished in a flat 2 minutes.

Matt would have to surrender a lot of his full triangles of Dorito's because Mello liked them that way and then he would get to eat the chips right at the bottom of the packet because he liked the extra flavour.

* * *

After the emergency room and Mello surprising the nurse with his swearing when she handled his arm in a way he thought was rough, they returned home.

Matt carried most of the grocery bags along with Mrs. Keehl and Mello carried nothing, exaggerating the pain.

Once they got inside, Matt dumped all the groceries onto the table and leaned against it on his elbows, he spotted a very shiny apple in the fruit bowl and reached for it. Of course Mello's mother smacked his hand hard and he yanked it back, the stinging sensation in his skinny fingers wasn't pleasant.

"You know the rules Mail, clean hands in my kitchen." She said casually as she started unpacking, "…go clean yourselves up, you both have dirt on your faces and clothes." She glanced at Mello who was looking at his cast in the microwave reflection.

"Ah man…" Matt mumbled but complied, walking past Mello and grabbing his good arm to drag him along.

"This cast looks stupid…" Mello complained, feeling the rock hard cast with his other hand.

"Maybe you'll think next time before you shove me out of a tree…" Matt mumbled as they turned the hall corner to climb the stairs.

Two steps up Matt felt the ground disappear beneath him after Mello grabbed his ankle and he fell forward and slid down the stairs, earning himself some shin and arm bruises but saving his face a nasty bump with his hands.

Mello walked over him calmly,

"Maybe you'll think next time before you piss me off." He responded.

Matt would have, on any other occasion, retaliated but as it were Mello was injured so he let it go and got up with a grimace to his pained limbs.

He walked into the bathroom only a few seconds after Mello who was again looking at his cast in the large mirror over the tub, Matt pulled his shirt up and dumped it in the hamper, checking his forearms to see the small bruises and skin scuffs he'd acquired only a minute earlier before he walked to the basin and opened the faucet.

"Matt, help me take my fucking shirt off." The blonde came to stand beside him.

The red head didn't complain or even huff, he just closed the tap and with damp hands he grabbed Mello's shirt hem and helped him take it off, manoeuvring it up and around the casted arm without hurting Mello.

"Thanks." The blonde mumbled.

Matt wiped the drops of water from his hands off of Mello's flat tummy with the shirt before tossing it to the hamper where it landed half way out, then he re-opened the tap.

He washed his hands and forearms and face before grabbing a towel off the silver rack in the bathroom and drying himself off.

Mello stared at the basin and the running water,

"This cast really sucks." He glared at it.

Matt snickered,

"You're gonna be like a cripple now huh…"

"Shut up…or I'll make you my bitch while I have this stupid broken arm…it's your fault anyway." He informed Matt with a glare.

All the while Matt simply smiled and taking the small towel he'd used to dry his hands and face, he wet it under the tap and then squeezed it out and proceeded to wipe Mello's face off.

The blonde looked livid by the time he was having his good hand washed by Matt under the tap,

"You're enjoying this aren't you, ass hole." He mumbled glaring at Matt's smiling face, his own face a little red from the wiping.

Matt grinned,

"Watching you squirm...hell fucking yes."

Mello punched him in his shoulder with his now clean fist and Matt groaned as it went numb,

"When its healed I'm gonna break your nose." He informed his best friend with his own not so sweet smile.

After Matt tossed the towel in the hamper they left the bathroom and proceeded to Mello's bedroom, the blonde kicking the half closed door open,  
"Get the fuck out of my room!" he didn't hesitate to yell.

"Oh shut up." Misa didn't even look at her younger brother as she rummaged through his impressive collection of rosaries. She had on one of her doll dresses, baby doll top, frills around the short sleeves, short frilled skirt with her platform black boots on and her hair was in two pigtails, make up done and now she was looking for a Rosary to top it off.

Of course, Mello was having none of it as he stomped over and grabbed the silver and red one she was holding in manicured hands,

"I've told you not to put your slutty hands on my shit, Misa!"

"Mello! Gimme the fucking Rosary!" she had a much higher pitch to her scream.

"Fuck you!"

"Give it, asshole!"

"GET OUT WHORE!"

In the meantime Matt wandered over to Mello's wardrobe to find them some shirts, he was hungry and he wanted to be approved by Mello's crazy mother so he could eat something.

It wasn't long before Misa had resorted to violence, she got Mello in a headlock, uninterested in his cast or why he had it. Matt glanced over and then back to the clothes, finding a plain white shirt of Mello's that he liked. He knew well that even though Mello was very violent, the one thing he would never do was hit his sister, either one of them.

The older one would kick his ass anyway.

"Get off me you skank!" he pushed her from his awkward position all the way until they were at the bed and then, despite his arm being hurt, he lifted her around her waist with his good arm and slammed her into the mattress, wrestling style. She bounced and shrieked.

Matt pulled the shirt over his head.

He got on top of her, straddling her to disable her from the waist down so she couldn't kick him with those big platforms. She kicked and wriggled, slapping and smacking him until he got both of her skinny arms under control and pinned them to her frilly stomach in one hand.

Mello was strong, Matt knew that well.

"Found you a shirt." Matt dropped it on the bed next to the fighting siblings, ignoring Misa's tiny panties visible beneath her dress as he kicked and squirmed,

"Get off me Mello!" she shouted.

"Say you'll stay out of my room! Stop picking my fucking lock!" he shouted back, knowing full well his sister was both a lock picker and good pick pocket.

"Just gimme the rosary and I will!"

"It's my rosary retard! I don't have to give you shit!"

"You know I'll get it eventually!" she challenged.

Matt was standing near the door and he sighed, yes Misa would…she always managed to get in there and take something, just like Mello always retaliated by shredding her stuffed toys down the garbage disposal…never the less he never did get half of his rosaries back.

Misa, though older, was very…crazy.

There was really no other word for it.

The yelling continued until Mr's Keehl could be heard from downstairs, telling them to 'shut the fuck up' and come downstairs to eat.

Matt could smell the beef burgers and he salivated.

"Mello I'm hungry." He whined.

Said blonde managed to keep his rosary this time and he let go of Misa's hands long enough to put it over his head, in that short time she smacked him and hit him a few more times.

Getting pissed off with his arm aching a little, he got off of her and grabbed her by her frilly dress waist bow; he dragged her off the bed.

She landed with a thump and a grouching sound, Matt moved out of the way and with short work, Misa was tossed into the hallway, finding herself nearly running into the welcoming beige and green wallpaper on the opposite wall.

The door slammed behind her.

"Fuck you, Mello!" she yelled and kicked his door loudly.

Receiving a threat loudly from downstairs, she made her way to her room straightening her panty hose.

Mello walked over to the chest of drawers his sister had been violating and he took the rosary off to put it back inside,

"I forgot to lock it this morning…" he said as he did so right then, the key was kept stuck under the draw unit with a blob of press stick.

Matt waited until he stuck the key back under, then when he turned around the red head pulled a dark blue shirt over his blonde head, earning himself a glare right before Mello put his good arm in the sleeve and Matt got the other one through.

"I'm gonna kill that bitch someday…" he said with a scowl as Matt flattened his static hair for him.

"Yeah yeah…but let's eat right now." he dismissed, brushing his own hair out of his green eyes, smirking at the red marks on Mello's face from his sisters quick slaps.

They made their way out of the room and Mello locked his door with a curse, Misa had serious skills at lock picking, good enough to match his own and he hated it.

When they got downstairs and into the kitchen, as if a fairy god pimp had waved a magic wand, Misa was dressed normally. Her make-up and hair were still elaborate but her clothes were a skinny jeans and tank top, her feet clad in white pumps.

"You're mom crapped on you, huh…?" Matt snickered at her, since Mello's mother was not in the kitchen right then.

She signed forlornly,

"No, but she would have…she says it makes me look like a whore."

"You always look like whore." Mello added.

"Suck a dick, Mello." She said with a smile.

He offered her his middle finger in response.

Their mother returned and order resumed for the time being, she gave them their home made cheeseburgers and oven French fries. Two each for the boys, one for Misa – but even though she starved herself most of the time- Mello had seen her stuff at least three burgers down her throat when she got tired of being hungry every second week.

They ate in mostly silence, Matt stealing Mello's fries and the blonde glaring at him for each one.

Misa was done shortly and she was gone in a flash, jabbering about a date at the movies with some poor clueless bastard.

When they were done they dumped their dishes in the sink and walked into the lounge,

"You staying over?" Mello flopped onto the couch, Matt followed suit.

"My dad's not home…so yeah." He responded as he leaned forward to grab the remote off the coffee table.

* * *

They watched TV for a few hours, until the sun went down and they were sitting in the dark.

Mello's mother had come in and walked out a few times over the few hours, Misa had went scampering out the door to her date at some point and then Mello's father returned home about 5 minutes before they switched off the news and went upstairs.

Mello's father was a TV hog and they weren't interested in watching national geographic or reality TV.

Matt greeted him as they passed by him at the bottom of the stairs and received, as usual, a nod after which he was completely ignored, much like Mr. Keehl's own children usually were by him.

Mello ignored his father and was treated like wise, they climbed the stairs.

It didn't mean anything bad, Matt knew that Mello's father was a pretty nice guy, he just wasn't conventional in his family beliefs.

Which was probably the reason his kids were all crazy.

They walked into Mello's room and Matt kicked the door closed as the blonde put the light on, lighting up the untidy bedroom. Mello's room was standard for someone of his personality, colourful, cluttered, messy and full of random shit.

His video games were scattered along with his cd's on the floor, pillows laid on the floor as well, the blanket for the single bed was half way hanging off, sneakers and boots lay all over, clothes too. His shelves were filled with books, magazines, more games, cd's, sports gear, paraphernalia, his walls plastered with band posters and a few pictures of him and Matt.

Colours ranged from black to orange to purple, brand gear stickers lined his two mirrors and the ceiling, little plastic glow in the dark skulls twirled round on his ceiling fan.

Matt found it comfortable, it was like being inside Mello's head.

Mello locked his bedroom door and then moved his chest of draws in front of it with his good shoulder,

"Stupid Misa…" he mumbled.

Matt settled down on the floor at the foot of Mello's bed after taking the pants hanging over Mello's TV and dropping it on the floor, he had switched the PS2 on and loaded an RPG game.

Mello settled on his bed, lying at the bottom on his stomach, his arm awkwardly stretched out to the side of him, his head near Matt's.

* * *

Twenty minutes into the game, Matt slipped a cigarette from his pocket along with his neon blue lighter and handed the lighter over his shoulder to Mello, who was by that time paging through a motor cycle magazine and sitting up cross legged to accommodate his arm resting in his lap.

Mello glanced at the lighter and then shifted to take it, he leaned over so he could light the cigarette between Matt's lips while he continued to play, not willing to let the controller go for too long. Once it was lit and Matt had smoked from it a few times –no hands required- Mello plucked it from him and smoked from it himself.

* * *

Another half hour later it was just after 7 and Mello heard his parents leave, his mother shouting into the house that they were going out to dinner, like they did ever second night.

Misa was still gone too and Matt's character was 5 levels up, breaking his own records and gaining valuable experience.

Mello was bored.

He lay on his back, still at the bottom of the bed, staring at the ceiling. His blonde hair was hanging over the foot of the bed and he was running his left hand fingers through it lazily.

The clacking of the controller buttons were louder than the game music and were starting to annoy him.

He rolled over and stared at the side of his best friends concentrated face,

"MATT!" he shouted loudly near his ear and he watched Matt jump, green eyes flickered to him but went right back to the game, not thrown off by a beat,

"What the fuck Mello?" he said very distractedly.

"I'm fucking bored…" he sighed, his hair lying in a silky disarray around his face, "…you've been playing for hours." He pointed out.

"It's been 52 minutes…" Matt stated flatly, "…the game keeps my session time."

"I don't care!" Mello shouted in his ear again. He groaned and paused the game, turning to look at his friend, Mello's blue eyes bright and devious.

"Fine…what do you wanna do…?" he rested his face against the bed, looking up at Mello.

Mello sat up and moved up the bed on his knees, slipping his hand under the mattress near the top,

"I bought this…" he held up the porn magazine, the woman on the front cover had her legs splayed out with ad stickers censoring over where her lady bits would be showing between her legs.

Mello sounded bored and Matt didn't look particularly excited either.

"I hate the women in those mags…they're not hot." The red head complained as he stood up and then crawled onto the bed to sit against the head board at the top next to Mello.

"I know…I asked Liam to buy one with more attractive girls in it…" Mello informed as he opened the magazine over his lap with one hand to page. Liam was the 19 year old who worked in the drug store where they sold the magazines, "…it's not so bad."

They paged through it and held it up at some angles to see the women better, Matt snickering at some of the pictures and Mello rolling his eyes at Matt's immaturity…and then snickering too.

They'd almost been through the entire mag when Matt's eyes shifted to focus on Mello's side profile a few centimetres from his own face,

"I'm not getting hard from this shit…can't we just do what we did last time?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

Mello turned to look at him and then he closed the magazine and tossed it at their feet.

"Ok…" he said quietly, his eyes a little mischievous and Matt loved when Mello's blue eyes reflected light that way.

* * *

**This scene has been removed in accordance with FF content guidelines, if you want to read the full uncensored chapter the AO3 fanfiction link is on my FF profile.**

* * *

After minutes they finally stopped necking, feeling sticky and cool but still lying together comfortably.

Mello grinned and pushed his hair out of his face. He felt good and he looked happy.

Matt looked at him lazy eyed and sheepishly, putting his face into the side of Mello's neck and sniffing.

He felt the vibrations in Mello's throat as he snickered,

"Matt…"

* * *

"Matt…Matt…MATT!"

Matt felt something hit his ribs and he woke with a start, promptly falling off the leather couch he'd been asleep on.

Mello stood at the doorway from the lounge into the rooms of his apartment wearing nothing but a pair of his tight leather pants riding very low on his hips, laced up at the sides, his blonde hair in a ponytail and a cigarette in his hand,

"Can't you hear someone banging on the fucking door!" he yelled at the dazed red head.

Matt picked up the shoe he'd fallen on once he was on his knees leaning his elbow on the couch, the very same shoe that would leave a bruise on his ribs,

"Ah fuuuuck you Mello…" he groaned as he got up slowly.

Mello mumbled something about 'lazy jackass' as he walked over to his door.

Matt flopped back onto the couch on his back, chucking the shoe lazily in Mello's direction but it fell short of the blonde.

Mello opened the dead bolt on his door without looking through the peephole and he wrenched the door open,

"What!" he shouted, pissed because it was 9pm and he'd been about to take a shower.

But he fell deathly silent, he stopped breathing and his lip switched in anger, his fists tightening as the veins stood along his arms…Mello had a very short temper.

And the sight of his sister, Misa, with a swollen black eye, a swollen cut lip, a bruise over her cheek and jaw and finger imprints red and raw on her neck was something that made him** furious** beyond comparison.

* * *

**I always enjoy writing Matt and Mello xD**


End file.
